South Korean football is one step away from a fourth consecutive Asian Games gold medal in the men's tournament.
The under-23 national team, coached by Lee Min-sung, beat China 2-1 in the men's football semifinal of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan, on the 30th. Korea conceded first in the opening half but turned the match around with an equalizer from Lee Young-jun and a winner from Bae Jun-ho.
The win put Korea in the final for a fourth straight edition, after the 2014 Incheon, 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2023 Hangzhou Games. Korea, the most successful nation in the event with six titles, is now chasing a first-ever four-peat in Asian Games football. The final is set for Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, against the winner of the Uzbekistan-Japan semifinal.
The result also avenged two straight defeats to China at this age level. Korea lost 0-1 at the Yancheng international friendly tournament in March 2025, when the team had no permanent head coach, and 0-2 at the Panda Cup in November that year, after Lee took charge. This time, with wild-card selections and Europe-based players all in the squad, Korea reversed the outcome.
China set up a thick defensive wall with a five-man back line, and Korea won several set-piece chances but struggled to break through.
Korea was caught out in the 22nd minute while being rattled by physical play. Wu Xi sent a lofted pass from the center circle, Wang Yudong controlled it with his chest, cut into the left side of the penalty box and finished with his left foot.
The response came quickly. In the 33rd minute, Eom Ji-sung delivered a corner kick and Lee Young-jun headed it in to level the score.
The winner came in the 82nd minute. Eom Ji-sung broke down the left flank and sent in a precise cross, and Bae Jun-ho headed it home to settle the match.
Korea then shored up the defense, replacing Lee Young-jun with defender Park Kyung-seop (Incheon) in the 89th minute and Bae Jun-ho with Kim Myung-jun (Genk) in stoppage time, holding the one-goal lead to book a place in the final.
