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4h ago

South Korea Overhauls Lineup, Beats Paraguay 2-0 Before Sparse Home Crowd

The win provides a brief reset after the Brazil rout, reinforcing South Korea's push to keep its No. 23 FIFA ranking for Pot 2.

Oh Hyeon-gyu of South Korea (2nd from L) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against Paraguay during the teams' friendly football match at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 14, 2025. (Yonhap)
South Korean players celebrate their 2-0 win over Paraguay in the teams' friendly football match at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 14, 2025. (Yonhap)
South Korea captain Son Heung-min acknowledges fans after a 2-0 win over Paraguay in the teams' friendly football match at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 14, 2025. (Yonhap)
Son Heung-min of South Korea (L) dribbles the ball against Paraguay during the teams' friendly football match at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 14, 2025. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • Head coach Hong Myung-bo started eight new players following the 5-0 defeat to Brazil, including goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu and center back Lee Han-beom.
  • Eom Ji-sung opened the scoring in the 15th minute in his first international start, and substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu sealed the result in the 75th minute.
  • Only about 22,000 attended at Seoul World Cup Stadium after roughly 43,800 tickets were still unsold on PlayKFA two and a half hours before kickoff.
  • Local reporting linked the weak turnout to fan disenchantment with Hong and KFA chief Chung Mong-gyu in the wake of recent performances.
  • The result supports South Korea’s bid to remain No. 23 in FIFA’s rankings to stay in Pot 2 for the 2026 World Cup draw, with official updates pending.