Korea scored four times in the closing minutes to defeat Vietnam 4-1 in their Group C tie of the AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia,
The win moved them to four points, with Yemen their final group stage opponents on Wednesday. Vietnam, who defeated Yemen 1-0 in their opener, will face the United Arab Emirates.
Vietnam threatened in the fifth minute against the run of play when Nguyen Van Duong drove into the box, only to see his effort blocked by Korea Republic defender Choi Jae-hyeok.
The Southeast Asian side came close again five minutes later after Nguyen Van Duong whipped in a dangerous cross into the box, but Dao Quy Vuong mistimed his header from close range.
Korea almost broke the deadlock in the 20th minute when Nam Ian met Jung Ha-won’s cross with a header from inside the six-yard box, but the effort drifted just wide of the left post.
Vietnam eventually made the breakthrough in the 32nd minute after Choi Min-jun gave the ball away cheaply, allowing Dao Quy Vuong to deliver a deft through ball to Le Sy Bach, who powered into the box before slotting past Korea Republic keeper Jang Jun-yeong.
Korea upped the tempo after the restart and almost found the equaliser in the 51st minute from a well-worked play with Nam Ian teeing-up Jung Ha-won, only for Vietnam goalkeeper Ly Xuan Hoa to produce a fine save.
The East Asian side threatened again six minutes later as Kim Ji-woo tried his luck from distance but his left-footed effort sailed just wide of the left post.
Korea’s efforts were finally rewarded in the 84th minute when An Sun-hyun came to their rescue, thumping a free-kick into the bottom right corner to draw his side level.
Nam Ian then caught Vietnam napping two minutes later when he was left unmarked inside the box to pounce on a loose ball which deflected off Kim Ji-woo before tucking it home from close range.
Korea netted their third in the 88th minute with Kim Ji-woo setting up Ahn Joo-wan, who finished with a powerful strike with Ji-woo then finishing off Nam Ian’s layoff in stoppage time to seal a 4-1 victory.
Uzbekistan books last eight berth
Uzbekistan booked their quarter-final spot with a 3-0 win against India in their Group D tie at the King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium.
The victory also meant FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 qualification for the defending champions, whose win meant Australia also advanced, with the sides to meet on Wednesday to decide the group winners.
India, who fell to a 4-0 defeat against Australia in their opener, came under pressure from the start with Sukhrob Sadirzhonov seeing his effort blocked in the sixth minute before Amirkhon Erkinov fired wide from distance three minutes later.
Uzbekistan continued to threaten, with Mukhammadjon Mamatov and Mukhammad Khakimov both seeing their attempts blocked with Rajrup Sarkar having to be on his toes in the India goalmouth.
India gradually settled and nearly found the opening in the 22nd minute when Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam tested goalkeeper Olim Shomurodov from outside the box before Wangkhem Denny Singh’s follow-up attempt was blocked.
It proved to be a false dawn as the breakthrough for Uzbekistan eventually came in the 32nd minute after Sarkar fouled Laziz Abduraimov inside the area, with the forward calmly converting the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner.
Uzbekistan almost doubled their lead before the break when Sadirzhonov struck the left post in the 43rd minute before forcing Sarkar into a low save in stoppage time.
India started the second half positively and came close to an equaliser in the 56th minute when Dallalmuon Gangte’s powerful free-kick struck the left post before Heeranganba Seram’s follow-up was blocked by Islom Ravshanov.
Uzbekistan, however, continued to pose a threat going forward with Amirkhon Erkinov and Laziz Abdyraimov going close before Sarkar produced another fine save to deny Abubakir Rakhimov in the 59th minute.
The Central Asian side did, however, double their tally a minute later in unfortunate fashion for India when Wangkhem Denny Singh turned Makhmud Muradov’s corner delivery into his own net.
Akhrorbek Ravshanbekov then showed off his individual brilliance when he reacted quickest to strike his own rebounded effort past Sarkar in the 78th minute to seal the points for his side.
Yemen stays alive
Yemen breathed life into their campaign with a stunning 3-2 win against the United Arab Emirates in their Group C tie.
The win took Yemen to three points, with UAE two behind. Korea lead the standings with four points after defeating Vietnam 4-1 in the earlier tie.
Both sides had suffered heartbreak in their opening matches, with UAE conceding late against Korea in a 1-1 draw while Yemen fell to 77th minute strike against Vietnam.
Yemen had the opening chance with Sailan Basheer sending his shot from outside the box just wide.
UAE gradually grew into the game and went ahead in the 25th minute with Eisa Al Blooshi’s finding Hussain Yousuf Ali, who rifled his shot from the centre of the box into the roof of the net.
Yemen tried to muster a response but other than a couple of half chances. failed to trouble UAE in the remaining minutes of the first half.
That, however, changed four minutes into the second half with Ali Al Maghdi rising high to head home Ali Shafeq Al Wesabi’s cross following a corner.
Yemen went ahead four minutes later, with Sailan Basheer converting from the penalty spot after Haitham Al Faqih had been fouled.
UAE piled forward in search of the equaliser and found it in the 62nd minute, with Ali Al Maghdi nodding the ball into the top left corner from Ali Shafeq Al Wesabi’s free-kick.
Yemen, however, were not to be denied as they sealed the points in the 85th minute through Mohammed Sadeq, who right-footed Ahmed Aljedy’s cross into bottom left corner to spark celebrations.
