A dramatic equalizer brought sudden cheers from the fans.
South Korea, led by Lee Chang-hyun, drew 1-1 with Morocco in the second match of the Seoul 2023 U18 International Youth Olympic Games (Seoul EOU Cup) on Wednesday at Mokdong Sports Complex in Seoul, South Korea.
After a 0-0 first half, South Korea took the lead in the 28th minute through Baek Min-kyu. A throw-in from the right flank of the Moroccan box hit a defender’s head and bounced back to Baek Min-gyu, who was in the box and scored with a left-footed turnover. Baek Min-kyu had previously come on as a substitute in the first leg against Ukraine on Oct. 10 and scored the winning goal to seal a 4-2 victory.
Korea was then pushed back a bit by Morocco’s pasang offense. Goalkeeper Kim Min-soo made a series of great saves to keep the game close. However, they conceded a late equalizer in stoppage time. Morocco scored a dramatic equalizer when Reda Lallaoui headed in a ball from the left flank.
With the win, South Korea improved to 1-1 following a 4-2 victory over Ukraine on Oct. 10. South Korea will now face Vietnam in the final match of the tournament on Nov. 15.
Morocco, who thrashed Vietnam 5-0, also drew 1-1 with South Korea. Morocco will now face Ukraine, who also have a 1-1 record.
The Seoul EOU Cup is co-organized by the Seoul Football Association and the Korea Sports Agents Association. It is also co-organized by the Seoul Sports Federation and the Korea Sports Agents Association, and sponsored by Seoul Metropolitan Government, Shinhan Bank, Hyundai Motor Company, Adidas, ECHWai (HY), Korea Sports Promotion Organization and Right Seoul Hospital. The World Wide Fund for Nature WWF Korea was a partner.
The name of the competition, EOU, stands for EARTH ON US. It means ‘Earth and Community’. With the slogan “ALL LIFE ON EARTH DEPENDS ON US,” the tournament aims to promote the importance of a sustainable planet 스포츠토토 through soccer. Public transportation and the use of reusable containers will be encouraged, and various activities such as environmental donation campaigns will be held on site.
At Mokdong Stadium, Moroccan fans occupied a section of the stands. About 100 spectators cheered for the young athletes nonstop. Especially when they scored the equalizer just before the end of the game, they cheered even louder.
After the game, the team celebrated with their fans. “We weren’t expecting Moroccan fans to come to the stadium like this. But they seem to be having a really good time. This tournament can be a time to celebrate different cultures together.”