The boys who led the U-20 World Cup to the quarterfinals had mixed fortunes. Little by little, they grew up.
On the 29th, the Hana OneQ K League 2 2023 Round 29 match between Chungnam Asan FC and Gyeongnam FC was held at the Asan Yi Sunshin Sports Complex in Chungnam. The match ended in a 1-0 victory for Gyeongnam. The scorer was defender Lee Chan-wook, who headed in a cross from Lee Kwang-jin in the 18th minute from a corner kick.
It was Lee’s first goal in two professional seasons and four matches since making his debut for Gyeongnam in 2022. The goal sealed the win for Gyeongnam, who finished third in the league with 12 wins, nine draws and six losses, and 45 points.
Opposite Lee Chan-wook was Chungnam Asan goalkeeper Moon Hyun-ho. Coincidentally, Moon gave up his first goal in his professional debut. It was also his first conceded goal in two seasons and eight games for Chungnam Asan since making his debut last season.
The two players were age-group teammates on the Argentina U-20 squad for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023. Moon was the No. 1 goalkeeper in South Korea’s round of 16 victory over the Gambia in the third round of the group stage with a stunning save. Lee Chan-wook was also a regular in the midfield at the tournament, making regular appearances.
“I had a video call with Hyun-ho before the game, and he said that his team would win, so I said that we would win this time, and he scored a goal himself and won. I’ll make fun of him later,” he said with a cheerful smile.
Meanwhile, Moon Hyun-ho couldn’t hide his bitterness when he met with the press in the Mixed Zone. “We are friends, but we were two different teams on the field. The moment I saw the header, I knew it was Lee Chan-wook. I celebrated the goal, but personally, I was a little disappointed.”
A debut goal and a first professional concession, these are the kinds of experiences that the 20-year-olds will grow up with. The U-20 World Cup experience was also a big boost for them.
“If I hadn’t been to the World Cup, I would have been nervous about playing against people from outside Chungnam Asan. But after going to the World Cup, I gained confidence.”토스카지노
Moon was also encouraged by the fact that his former teammate and competitor at the World Cup, Kim Jun-hong, made the A team. “I really want to support my friends who did well in the team to go to a good position and a good team. I was close to Kim Jun-hong, and seeing him go to the national team motivated me.”