Softfootball reports that South Korea narrowly defeated Ghana 1-nil on Tuesday in their final men’s international friendly of the year, with defender Lee Tae-seok heading home the match’s lone goal in the 63rd minute.
The win came before 33,256 fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium on a chilly late autumn night, as world No. 22 Korea struggled to impress against 73rd-ranked Ghana.
Second-half substitute Hwang Hee-chan had a chance to double Korea’s lead from the penalty spot in the 74th minute, but Benjamin Asare made a comfortable save, keeping Ghana in the game. Despite some tense moments in the final minutes, Korea held on for the narrow victory, finishing the year with a record of eight wins, three draws, and two losses.
South Korea uploaded the video of the solitary goal via their official X account as they gear up for the World Cup draws next month.
Watch the video below:
[GOAL] 대한민국🇰🇷 1-0 🇬🇭가나
이강인의 정확한 왼발, 그리고 이태석의 헤더!🔥
이태석이 자신의 A매치 데뷔골을 결정적인 순간 만들어냅니다!
📺TV조선, 쿠팡플레이, tvN#대한민국 #축구국가대표팀 #친선경기 pic.twitter.com/dXx9BqFqSD
— theKFA (@theKFA) November 18, 2025This was also Korea’s last match before next month’s FIFA World Cup draw on December 5 and their third straight victory since that 5-nil thrashing they suffered at the hand of Brazil.
Combined with last week’s 2-0 win over Bolivia, Tuesday’s result almost certainly ensures Korea will be in Pot 2, meaning they can avoid being drawn against two top-20 teams in the group stage. Pot 1 will include the three co-hosts, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, plus the top nine nations in the upcoming FIFA rankings.
For Ghana this is the second friendly they are losing simultaneously again to an Asian side after initially losing to Japan in their last game. Little would you know that this was the team that was very successful in the World Cup qualifiers after thrashing the Central African Republic 5-nil before also seeing off Comoros 1-nil to book an automatic ticket to the FIFA World Cup.
Coach Hong Myung-bo made several lineup changes from the Bolivia game, most notably starting Song Bum-keun in goal. The 28-year-old, making just his second international appearance since July 2022, was preferred over Jo Hyeon-woo, who was expected to start due to veteran Kim Seung-gyu’s injury.
Korea also fielded a new-look midfield, with Kwon Hyeok-kyu making his senior debut alongside half-Korean Jens Castrop.
The backline shifted from a four-man to a three-center-back setup, with Kim Min-jae, Park Jin-seob, and Cho Yu-min flanked by Lee Tae-seok and Seol Young-woo. Captain Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in started again, while Oh Hyeon-gyu led the attack.
The first half was low on chances, with neither side testing the goalkeepers until late. Ghana grew into the match, pressuring Korea and forcing turnovers. In the second half, Korea’s substitutions paid off almost immediately. Cho Gue-sung drew defenders, allowing Lee Tae-seok to meet a precise Lee Kang-in pass for his first international goal.
Hwang Hee-chan missed a penalty in the 74th minute, and Ghana had a late goal disallowed for offside, but Korea held on. Despite an uninspiring performance, the win gives Korea a positive end to 2025 as they prepare for next year’s World Cup.
