South Korea wins friendly vs. USMNT with overwhelming fan support

HARRISON, N.J. (AP) — Son Heung-min scored in the 18th minute and set up Lee Dong-gyeong’s goal in the 43rd to lead South Korea over the United States 2-0 on Saturday in a pre-World Cup friendly, another American home game where the crowd overwhelmingly supported the visitors.

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

The U.S. dropped to 10-7 under Pochettino and has just seven friendlies left before players are selected for his pre-World Cup training camp.

The 15th-ranked Americans are winless in seven games against top 25 teams — losing six — since beating Mexico in the 2024 CONCACAF Nations League final. They were outscored 11-2 in the first half of those games.

Preparing to co-host next year’s World Cup, the Americans play Japan on Tuesday at Columbus, Ohio. South Korea faces Mexico on Tuesday at Nashville, Tennessee.

The U.S. again encountered a crowd that made it seem like a road game, with most of the 26,500 fans rooting for South Korea at the home of Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls. Pochettino praised the fervor of opposition fans last summer at CONCACAF Gold Cup games against Guatemala in St. Louis and Mexico in Houston.

No. 23 South Korea, which has qualified for its 11th straight World Cup, went ahead when Lee Jae-sung fed a through ball as Son broke past defender Tristan Blackmon and beat goalkeeper Matt Freese to the far post. South Korea doubled the lead when Son ran onto Lee Jae-sung’s flick and tumbled over Freese. The ball rolled to Lee Dong-gyeong, who put the ball into the empty net with a backheel.

American right back Sergiño Dest made his first appearance since March 2024 after recovering from a torn right ACL and Blackmon, a 29-year-old defender, made his international debut and was partnered with 37-year-old Tim Ream.

Josh Sargent started at forward and remained without a goal in 17 international games 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 stoppage time.

Cristian Roldan also entered in the 62nd, his first appearance since the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

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