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| Korea's Lee Seung-won, right, and Italy's Mattia Zanotti go for a header during a FIFA U-20 World Cup semifinal soccer match at Diego Maradona stadium in La Plata, Argentina, Thursday, June 8. AP-Yonhap |
Korea lost to Italy 2-1 in the semifinals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup on Thursday, as they fell one win shy of a second straight trip to the championship match.
Simone Pafundi scored a free kick goal to break the deadlock in the 86th minute at La Plata Stadium in La Plata, eastern Argentina. Korean captain Lee Seung-won had the team's lone goal on a first-half penalty.
Coached by Kim Eun-jung, Korea will take on Israel in the third-place match, back in La Plata, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday local time, or 2:30 a.m. Monday in Seoul.
This was Korea's second straight appearance in the last four at the U-20 World Cup. They finished as runners-up to Ukraine in the 2019 tournament, and the 2021 competition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Korea have never won a FIFA men's tournament. The country captured the FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup title in 2010.
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| Italy's Simone Pafundi scores his side's second goal against Korea during a FIFA U-20 World Cup semifinal soccer match at Diego Maradona stadium in La Plata, Argentina, Thursday, June 8. AP-Yonhap |
Korea have never won a FIFA men's tournament. The country captured the FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup title in 2010.
The teams traded a goal apiece in the first half.
Italy opened the scoring in the 14th minute, capitalizing on a Korean turnover deep in the defensive zone. Midfielder Park Hyun-bin was pushed into the left corner of his own zone, and his clearing attempt went off Lee Seung-won's leg and bounced toward Riccardo Turicchia.
The Italian defender then teed it up for Cesare Casadei, who ripped his one-timer past goalkeeper Kim Joon-hong for a 1-0 Italy lead. It was Casedei's tournament-leading seventh goal.
Korea were awarded a penalty in the 21st minute following a video review, as Mattia Zanotti was called for a foul inside the box for stepping on Bae Jun-ho's foot.
Captain Lee Seung-won stepped up and beat goalkeeper Sebastiano Desplanches to the left to even the score at 1-1.
Italy nearly reclaimed their lead when Samuel Giovane's low shot, set up by Francesco Esposito in a give-and-go, rolled just wide of the left post in the 33rd minute.
South Korea survived a scare in the 58th minute, when Matteo Prati appeared to have headed home a Tommaso Baldanzi corner for a 2-1 Italy lead. But Kim Joon-hong made the desperation stop just before the ball cross the goal line, and a video review confirmed the save.
Korea pushed back five minutes later with Lee Seung-won seeking his second goal of the match, only to be foiled by the diving Desplanches.
Italy broke the deadlock in the 86th minute, after Korean midfielder Park Hyun-bin committed a costly foul just outside the box.
Simone Pafundi then took a curling free kick that froze Kim Joon-hong in the South Korean net, giving Italy the lead that they did not relinquish.
With his goal in the losing cause, Lee Seung-won has two goals and four assists in the tournament ― matching the total by Lee Kang-in from the 2019 competition when he was named the Golden Ball winner as the tournament MVP. (Yonhap)
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| Korea's goalkeeper Kim Joon-hong makes a save during a FIFA U-20 World Cup semifinal soccer match against Italy at Diego Maradona stadium in La Plata, Argentina, Thursday, June 8. AP-Yonhap |
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| Korea's Cho Young-kwang, left, and Italy's Samuel Giovane compete for the ball during a FIFA U-20 World Cup semifinal soccer match at the Diego Maradona stadium in La Plata, Argentina, Thursday, June 8. AP-Yonhap |
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| Korea's Lee Seung-won, center, celebrates after scoring a penalty goal against Italy during a FIFA U-20 World Cup semifinal soccer match at the Diego Maradona stadium in La Plata, Argentina, Thursday, June 8. AP-Yonhap |
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| Italy's Filippo Fiumanol, left, and Korea's Park Hyun-bin, right, go for a header during a FIFA U-20 World Cup semifinal soccer match at the Diego Maradona stadium in La Plata, Argentina, Thursday, June 8. AP-Yonhap |
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