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The Tale of The Korean South

Let me tell you a tale, of belief, spirit, and dreams that happened in the Beautiful game, called Football.

It was a cool winter Thursday night on the 23rd of November when South Korea began their FIFA World Cup 2022 run against two-time champions Uruguay.

All the buzz in town at that time was about Argentina who saw the face of defeat in their opening fixture against the Saudis only two days earlier. The disparity in the noise and cheering would find justice if Brazil too followed suit with their Latin rivals. Bangladesh as usual was already polarized between the Sky Blues and the Canary yellow.

Later that night Brazil was to face Serbia. Excitement and tensions circulated. To add to things, before the 1 AM Brazil debut in Qatar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal were to take the stage against Ghana.

There is a fair amount of support for the all-time record-breaking Portuguese veteran in Bangladesh, especially among the Brazillian fan contingent. Besides every football fan would love to see Ronaldo go toe with toe versus Leo Messi. With Messi having scored a goal already in his first match, it was Cristiano’s turn.

At 7’ O clock in the evening, I sipped a mug of coffee to prepare myself for the events unfolding in Qatar. My focus though was none of what I have just written above. I wanted to see how Son- Heung Min and South Korea were to fare in their journey this time around.

The Qatar 2022 World Cup was beginning to develop a reputation of sorts in providing shocking results. By that time I had a good feel of how the so-called stronger teams were finding it more than difficult to beat their weaker oppositions easily.

Senegal looked like they could beat the Netherlands anytime, and Tunisia held Denmark to a draw just like Morocco did with Croatia. Belgium just managed to win against Canada somehow while as we all know the Japanese and Saudis had defeated the European and Latin Football giants namely, Germany and Argentina.

I believed South Kore could do something special. Uruguay was not an easy side to beat. With players like Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Valverde and Nunez one had to play out of their skin to earn points against Diego Alonso’s men. And so play did the Tegauk Warriors.

Diego Goddin almost took the lead for Uruguay in the first half but thanks to the charm of good luck the ball hit the post and fell out of play for a goal kick. With the score nil-nil at halftime, South Korea had reasons to believe, especially fuelled by the chance they had created of scoring through Hwang-Ui-Joe in the 34th minute.

In the 62nd minute again Goddins long ball found Darwin Nunez on the left flank. His darting run into the box from the left came to no avail as the ball reached the Korean keeper before he could cross it to Suarez. Every minute in the second half, with the scores at nil, felt nerve-wracking. From yards out Federico Valverde thundered the post one minute before the allotted 90. This was going to prove costly later but things could have been even worse for Uruguay as Rochet’s (Uruguayan goalkeeper) missed pass fell right in front of the goal at the feet of none other than Son Heung Min. He misfired the shot to end the game in a draw. And that was to me, one hell of a football match.

Korea of the South lived a happy day, hoping to do more taking inspiration from their Asian neighbours, Japan. They were to face Ghana next who lost to Portugal just by a goal. Things would not be easy, but it wasn’t going to be impossible.

It’s the 28th of November, Education City Stadium is packed to the core ready to witness Ghana face off against South Korea each team playing in their second game of the group stage in the FIFA WORLD cup. A win is a must for Ghana before they face strong Portugal next to keep their world cup hopes alive, while South Korea with a point in their tally looks to capitalize against comparatively weaker opposition.

The Reds play on with a deadly pace and the Korean attack goes on and on. It’s anytime now that the Tigers of Asia are going to score. But no! Young Mohammed Salisu puts the ball into the Korean net from a juicy set-piece delivery by Andre Ayew. It’s Ghana that leads in just the 23rd minute.

That is what the highlight reel won’t tell you. One team possesses and passes the ball better despite that the other team scores. It only takes split seconds of quality football and you are in. 10 minutes later Andre Ayew repeats his devilish delivery, this time from open play and guess what! Mohammed Kudus of Ajax heads it home. Ghana doubles their lead in the first half ceasing on a chance they get against an Asian side. Koreans go into the break looking for ways to turn things around to stay alive in the tournament.

I engage myself in an urgent phone call and miss most of the second half. When I turn the TV back on, I cannot believe my eyes. Gue- Sung- Cho has scored twice in the space of just two minutes between the 58th and the 61st minute. The score is now 2–2. What must South Kore have done to deliver a double strike in such a quick time? I promise myself not to use the phone during a live football match anymore.

Deadly crosses from the left flank into the head of the striker at deadly speed and Deadshot precision. That has been the trick. Counter-attacking football and flying Superman-like headers, the boys in red are back again. Celebrate as you may, but never count out the Black Stars because Mohammed Kudos scored his second for the Black Stars to make it 3–1 with just 20 minutes plus extra time to go.

Such a good fight back and yet you ball behind, that is what football and life could be like. But it was not over until the final whistle blew. The referee gave 10 additional minutes, and this seemed like an eternity of swashbuckling attacking South Korean Football. This 10 minutes of football was as good as you will ever see played, without a goal scored. This was such, that I can hardly explain it in words. Son and his boys fought hard, yet they were left in tears as the equations for South Kore to qualify for the last 16 from group H became more complex.

Friday, December the 2nd, Al- Janoub stadium. Uruguay VS Ghana. A clash that reminds me of recent World Cup history when Suarez used his hand to prevent a Ghana goal followed by a missed penalty that sent Ghana out of the World a decade ago in 2010. If Ghana could beat the Latins they would qualify with 5 points. For them, the equation was simple as they had beaten South Korea. For Uruguay to go through they would need to beat Ghana besides banking on the strong Portuguese side to defeat the highly spirited yet weaker-ranked South Korea. A complex equation in math but a simple one in probability. Cristiano Ronaldo’s team were expected to easily beat Son and his friends.

Being the last matches in the group stage both matches began at the same time. At Education City Stadium Ricardo Horta scored for Portugal in the 5th minute. This put the Koreans under immense pressure immediately at the start. But to fail under pressure is not what the Taeguk Warriors do, they fight back harder. In the 16th minute, Kim Jin-Su’s scored, only for offside to spoil the party.

Meanwhile at Al Janoub Stadium Andre Ayew missed a penalty in minute number twenty. That was hopeful news for every South Korean supporter like me. For all, I knew the Koreans were not going to give up. They know how to believe, and dream. I kept remembering the added 10 minutes of extraordinary football Korea played against Ghana. If they could even do half of that, there was a chance. A chance beyond all probability is based only on the possibility or should I say impossibility.

I recalled how I calculated the permutations and combinations on the whiteboard I hung in my room. The words of improbability were scribbled all over it, inked with hope, belief and dreams. I want to see Son go through, but that would mean he had to beat Ronaldo. That to an English Premier League fan was very much a likely reality. The ‘Son’ of Tottenham Hotspurs could very well beat Ronaldo of Manchester United. But this was the World Cup. Even though Portugal had already secured their seats CR7 was ever ready for a hattrick.

In the 26th minute, De Arrascaeta scored for Uruguay in the other match as expected. There was no time to focus on the others as yet. South Korea needed an equalizer, and boy did they get it just at the 27th minute. A goal backed by Ronaldo. By backed, I literally mean backed.

A ball from a corner kick hit the back of Cristiano Ronaldo and fell to the feet of Kim-Young- Gwan. South Korea was level with Portugal, which means they only needed a goal to get to three points tally to 4, the same as Uruguay.

Now was the time to consider the crazy equations. Uruguay doubled their lead in the 32nd minute. If Portugal holds on to lead Portugal and the Latins play the kick-offs. If Ghana manages a victory somehow, their 3 points take them through. If Korea win, and Uruguay cannot score another goal against Ghana in the ongoing match without conceding it’s over for Luis Suarez. Ghana won’t make it easy because they still believe they can beat the Latin Americans and qualify.

In the 41st minute, Ronaldo misses a chance to increase the lead for his team but Portugal has nothing to lose in regard to the World Cup except the match. Nevertheless, Ron and his men want goals to enter the Round of 16 with boosted confidence.

Amidst all the ifs and buts South Korea need to score a goal while still defending against a mighty Portuguese team. A defence with life on the line is what South Korea offered. Goals can be beautiful to see but it is a well-known fact that team success in football matches and tournaments comes through good defence.

We all had a good laugh when South Korea’s lineup in their opening match was announced. There were a total of four Kims in the defence line including the goalkeeper. It was these Kims along with Jung and Beom that stopped the likes of Jao Mario, Ruben Neves, Diego Dallot and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 90 minutes of the game were over, maybe it wasn’t to be, maybe hope would not win this time. I thought of Son in a Tottenham shirt. He could do the impossible, maybe just maybe. And then in the 90+1 minute, a Portuguese clearance at the back saw the ball at the feet of Son- Heung Mein.

Puskas award goal against Burnley, Champions League, highest goals in the PL last season without a penalty, everything hit my mind at once. He is going to do it. Son makes a run, with only two defenders to beat as another run close to him. These are what he eats at Spurs every day in England he can do it, he can. He slows down as he nears the D- box. Three defenders are in front of him, three are behind. Was it the injury that had slowed him down? Half the Portugal national team have surrounded the Korean Super Star. This is it, pull the trigger Sony, do or die!

Dreading moments these, moments of could have and should have, moments to ponder about what could have been and what should have been. What will Son do?

Son was never looking to take a shot, he had attracted the defence towards him letting Gue- Sung- Cho run free into the box. The Portuguese did not see this coming, I did not see this coming.

Son passes the ball into the space which finds Gue- Sung- Cho who is free enough to take a clear shot at goal with only the keeper to beat, because Son has petrified the rest of the defenders. Cho scores in added time to take the lead.

And as things stand if Portugal does not score, if Uruguay does not one more, within the remaining extra time, if Ghana does not score 3 more Korean Republic will go into the last 16.

The match at Al- Janoub stadium was not yet over, as the Korean players waited the wait of their lives. Uruguay threatened the Ghana goal on and on but for them, it was not to be as the referee blew the final whistle that shed the tears of Uruguay, Ghana and Koreans at the same time. Only that the Korean tears were tears of joy, and tears of believing, of dreaming and of victory. But above all, they were tears of Football the Beautiful Game, which teaches us to believe in ourselves when the rest of the world thinks it’s over.

Good Luck South Korea against Brazil.

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