Yongin:South Korea secured a 2-0 victory against Uzbekistan, marking their second win in four matches under interim coach Robert Moreno. Captain Son Heung-min made history by becoming the country's all-time leading male scorer.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Son achieved his record-breaking 59th goal from a free kick in the sixth minute at Yongin Mireu Stadium, located about 40 kilometers south of Seoul. Despite Uzbekistan's dominant play, the South Korean team successfully defended their lead. Substitute Oh Se-hun added the second goal in the second half, concluding South Korea's September-October FIFA match window with two wins, one draw, and one loss.
South Korea's next matches are scheduled for the November 9-17 window. Son's milestone goal came shortly after a handball violation by Jakhongir Urozov, and his right-footed shot found the bottom right corner, surpassing former striker Cha Bum-kun on the scoring leaderboard.
Despite Son's early goal, Uzbekistan controlled much of the match, utilizing counterattacks to challenge South Korea's defense. Dostonbek Khamdamov tested goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo with a shot from the left side in the 14th minute, and Abbosbek Fayzullaev also forced a save from the Korean keeper shortly after.
South Korea struggled to create opportunities as Uzbekistan maintained possession, with Cho Hyun-taek's close-range effort denied by goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov in the 31st minute. Jo continued to make crucial saves, preserving the 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Son nearly doubled his tally with a free kick, and both teams saw their goalkeepers excel in a series of impressive saves. South Korea eventually extended their lead when Song Min-kyu's cross found Oh Se-hun, who headed the ball past Nematov.
Despite Uzbekistan's efforts to find an equalizer, South Korea's defense held firm, with Gu Sung-yun replacing Jo in goal for the final minutes to secure the victory.