NEW YORK – Son Heung-min scored one goal and set up another to spark South Korea’s 2-0 victory over the United States in an international football friendly in New Jersey on Sept 6 between two teams bound for the 2026 World Cup.

The South Koreans advanced through Asian qualifying to the 2026 World Cup, to be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Son scored in the 18th minute and Lee Dong-gyeong added another in the 43rd to secure South Korea’s triumph against a US side coached by Mauricio Pochettino – Son’s former boss at Tottenham Hotspur.

Son joined Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC in a blockbuster move in August that has energised South Korean football fans in the United States.

They were out in force, prompting South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo to say the fixture was “like a home match”.

On Son, he added: “As our striker and our first line of defence, Son Heung-min did a great job leading the team.”

South Korea improved to 4-2 with two drawn in the all-time rivalry against the US, winning their first meeting since a US home triumph in 2014.

The match also saw a debut for Jens Castrop, a former German youth international whose mother is South Korean. He is the first foreign-born player of mixed heritage to play for the Taegeuk Warriors.

The Americans, coming off a 2-1 loss to Mexico in July’s Concacaf Gold Cup final, welcomed back Christian Pulisic.

But it was another dispiriting setback for a team that have failed to gain momentum with the World Cup looming.

“It’s a team that’s coming together,” US midfielder Sebastian Berhalter said.

“We have different pieces that are just trying to figure out how to play with each other. We still have things to improve upon. For us it’s about keep going and keep building that team chemistry. ”

Son opened the scoring in the 18th minute, staying just onside and receiving a pass from Lee Jae-sung before firing a left-footed shot past US goalkeeper Matt Freese.

“It was a little bit too easy for them to play through us. We made some adjustments at half-time and the second half was much better,” US captain and defender Tim Ream said.

South Korea doubled the lead in the 43rd minute when Son worked a one-two then quickly flicked the ball to Lee Dong-gyeong, who back-heeled the ball into goal to give the visitors a 2-0 edge at half-time.

“We were better than South Korea, but if we don’t finish the plays, it’s complicated,” Pochettino said. “We created chances, controlled the game, but conceded goals in ways that shouldn’t have happened.

“Despite the result, we’ve improved since the Gold Cup with a different group of players, and we have to be positive.”

Ream stressed bonding and teamwork.

“We just need to continue to gel and to build,” Ream said. “We have to work on everything. We have to keep going... raise the standard and work on things for the next game.”

In another clash between a World Cup co-host and a qualified Asian side, Japan put in a dominant performance but lacked the finishing touch in a 0-0 draw with Mexico in a friendly in California on Sept 6.

“We had the upper hand in one-on-one duels and loose balls, and scoring chances too,” Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said. “But it was about finishing them off, and we need to have more shots.”

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, who had a stint helming the Samurai Blue, added: “Their speed and intensity surprised us. I knew they were very intense.

“I met their coach when I was over there. He made them run, commit and be very competitive – 90 percent of them play in Europe, so they have a different level of training .”

The co-hosts will swop opponents on Sept 9 with the US taking on Japan in Columbus, Ohio, while Mexico will take on South Korea in Nashville, Tennessee. AFP, KYODO NEWS

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