Korea Republic book Nigeria quarter-final

Bae Junho scored one and set another up as Korea Republic upset Ecuador 3-2 in the last 16 at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina.

With the scoreline, Korea Republic have set up a quarter-final match against Nigeria on Sunday.

It was the Taegeuk Warriors of Korea who struck first. Bae Junho played a delightful ball over the back of the Ecuador defence. Lee Youngjun, who had timed his run to perfection, controlled it immaculately on his chest and buried a volley into the bottom corner.

Bae then employed two exceptional touches to befuddle Daniel de la Cruz, before firing home to double the advantage.

A penalty got Ecuador back into the game. Park Changwoo was adjudged to have pulled back Kendry Paez, and Justin Cuero dispatched his fourth goal of Argentina 2023, but Korea Republic restored their two-goal cushion at the start of the second half.

Choi Seokhyun forcibly headed home Lee Seungwon’s corner, and despite a late Sebastian Gonzalez effort from close range, three-two is how it finished.

With the defeat of Ecuador, Korea Republic have now won four successive FIFA U-20 World Cup matches against nations from South America, the competition’s dominant continent.

Korea Republic will now face Nigeria in Santiago del Estero on Sunday for a place in the semi-finals.