After back-to-back group-stage exits in 2014 and 2018, Korea Republic finally made it back to the knockout round in World Cup 2022.
And despite their drubbing at the hands of Brazil in the round of 16, it proved to be quite a successful campaign for the Taeguk Warriors, who had low expectations heading into Qatar.
So how exactly did Korea Republic make it out of the World Cup group stage for the first time in 12 years?
Read on below as SBOTOP breaks down the three key factors to the Taeguk Warriors’ surprisingly successful World Cup 2022 campaign in Qatar.
A bit of good fortune
In all honesty, the Koreans benefited from a bit of good fortune in the group stage after making an inauspicious start to World Cup 2022. They looked anaemic in attack in their opening game against Uruguay as they had no shots on target.
Son Heung-min, whose fitness was in some doubt after suffering a facial fracture, looked far from his best, while starting centre-forward Hwang Ui-jo had a disappointing display leading the line.
But the Koreans were somewhat fortunate that Uruguay also didn’t create all that much in attack, and when they did, they hit the woodwork twice.
Korea Republic then found themselves without a point from their first two games after losing 3-2 to Ghana. To their credit, they fought back from two goals down to equalise, but they ultimately fell short as they conceded again.
That left them needing to beat Portugal in their final group game – without their suspended coach, Paulo Bento – and hoping Ghana lost to Uruguay.
But they then got another bit of good fortune as Portugal, who already made it through to the round of 16 with two wins from two, rested many of their stars for the group finale.
South Korea saw off a weakened Portugal side thanks to a stoppage-time winner, while Uruguay beat Ghana, which allowed the Taeguk Warriors to progress to the last 16.
Young stars emerge
But of course, the South Koreans still made a bit of their own luck. Paulo Bento made the wise move of replacing Hwang Ui-jo with 24-year-old Cho Gue-Sung, which proved to be the spark the South Korean attack needed.
Cho Gue-Sung scored a brace in their comeback against Ghana which unfortunately fell short as he looked much more of a threat up front. Not only did he produce his share of World Cup 2022 highlights – he finished with eight shots in his three starts – but he also won headers to help keep possession.
Cho Gue-Sung earned another start against Portugal, and he was again quite effective in that game as he helped South Korea qualify.
Aside from Cho, another youngster in 21-year-old Lee Kang-In also made a good impression in Qatar. The Mallorca midfielder had an instant impact upon coming on as a substitute against Ghana as he set up one of Cho’s goals, and he also acquitted himself well after starting against Portugal.
Old guard finally come through
But while the young stars began to emerge midway through their second game, the team’s more established stars – namely Son Heung-Min and Hwang Hee-Chan – finally made their mark on the tournament when it mattered the most: their must-win match against Portugal.
After an uninspiring first couple of matches, Son finally turned it on against Portugal. He had a team-high five shots (two on target) and most importantly, made a brilliant run that set up Hwang Hee-Chan for the winning goal.
It was that bit of quality that the South Koreans had been sorely missing for the first two games, and it was only fitting that Son and Hwang would provide it. The two were compromised physically, which is partly to blame for their underwhelming performances in Qatar, but that moment when they combined for the winning goal in stoppage time to put South Korea through more than made up for their poor form for most of the tournament.
Hwang was also one of the few bright spots in Korea’s 4-1 defeat to Brazil in the round of 16. The Wolves striker had five of the team’s shots, with four of them on target. Had he been fully fit, perhaps the Taeguk Warriors could have posed a bigger threat in attack than they did.
That match proved to be Paulo Bento’s last in charge of Korea Republic as he stepped down from his post. While Bento’s time at the helm wasn’t extraordinary, he does deserve some credit as Korea Republic defied the World Cup 2022 odds by going further than expected.
Moreover, he has also helped usher in a new generation of Korean stars who, in four more years, could go even further in the World Cup.
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