Son-Scores and helps to lead South Korea through host USA in pre-World Cup Friendly

Son Heung-Min scored in the 18th minute and set up the goal of Lee Dong-Gyeong in the 43rd to lead South Korea on Saturday with 2-0 across the United States in a pre-World Cup-friendly, another American home game where the audience supported the visitors overwhelmingly.

Playing against a team coached by his former Tottenham manager, Mauricio Pochettino, Son scored his 52nd international goal to move within six of the South Korean record of Cha Bum-Kun.

The US fell to 10-7 under Pochettino and only have seven friendly matches before players are selected for his pre-World Cup training camp.

The 15th ranking Americans are Winless in seven games against Top 25 Teams Die Six Losing-Since beating Mexico in the 2024 Concacaf Nations League final. They were shared 11-2 in the first half of those matches.

Preparation for co-host of the World Cup of next year, the Americans will play Japan in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday. Zuid -Korea will be confronted on Tuesday with Mexico in Nashville, Tennessee.

The US again came across a crowd, making it looked like a road game, with most of the 26,500 fans who rooted for South Korea in the house of Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls in New York. Pochettino praised the zeal of oppositions during Concacaf Gold Cup matches against Guatemala in St. Louis and Mexico in Houston last summer.

No. 23 South Korea, which has qualified for his 11th consecutive World Cup, continued when Lee Jae-Sung Fed broke through the ball when the son broke past defender Tristan Blackmon and defeated goalkeeper Matt Freese to the distant post.

South Korea doubled the leadership when Son ran on Lee Jae-Sung’s film and tumbled over Freese. The ball rolled to Lee Dong-Gyeong, who stopped the ball in the empty Net with a rear wheel.

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American Right Back Sergino Dest made his first performance since March 2024 after repairing a torn judge ACL, and Blackmon, a 29-year-old defender, made his international debut and worked with 37-year-old Tim Ream.

Josh Sargent started at Forward and has remained in 17 international competitions since 2019. He was replaced in the 62nd minute by Falorin Balogun, who had not played under Pochettino.

Balogun was stopped twice by Jo Hyeon-Woo in stopping time. Cristian Roldan also arrived in the 62nd, his first appearance since the Concacaf Gold Cup 2023.

Tim Weah left in the 62nd after cramps at a hamstring, Pochettino said.

Published on 07 September 2025