South Korea down Saudi Arabia with two quick headers, set to face Vietnam in quarterfinals

South Korea's under-23 football team shook off a frustrating first half against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, scoring twice in two minutes with headers to claim the Group D top spot and a quarterfinal berth at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games — and in doing so, avoided a potentially dangerous early clash with Uzbekistan.

The side coached by Lee Min-sung defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the group stage second match at Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan.

Following their 4-1 win over Qatar, Korea finished the group stage with two wins and six points, securing first place in Group D. They will face Group C runners-up Vietnam in the quarterfinals, having sidestepped a first-knockout-round showdown with Group C winners Uzbekistan — widely regarded as the toughest potential opponent in the bracket.

The first half was an unexpected struggle. Saudi Arabia, who have shifted their program toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and fielded a squad of players born in 2005 or later, pressed aggressively from the front and kept Korea pinned back. Yang Min-hyeok managed a shot in the 22nd minute to give Korea their first real look at goal, but no breakthrough came and the teams went into halftime level at 0-0.

A single substitution changed the game. When Bae Jun-ho came on in the 55th minute, Korea's attack found new momentum, and the deadlock finally broke from a set piece. In the 67th minute, Shin Min-ha met a free kick from Eom Ji-seong with a well-timed header to put Korea ahead.

The second goal arrived just two minutes later. Kim Myeong-jun charged toward the box and headed home a cross from Bae Hyeon-seo on the left flank to make it 2-0. It was Kim's second goal in as many games, having also scored against Qatar.

With the result in hand, Lee brought on Lee Young-jun — a tall striker based in Europe who had only joined the squad on Monday after fulfilling club commitments — in the 76th minute to give him some match sharpness. Korea held firm against a late Saudi counterattack threat, kept a clean sheet and continued their bid for a fourth consecutive Asian Games title.