World Cup: South Korea 0-1 Belgium

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Highlights: South Korea 0-1 Belgium

Ten-man Belgium beat South Korea to top their World Cup group and set up a last-16 tie against the United States.

South Korea needed a win so the onus was on them to attack and they were helped when Steven Defour was sent off for a reckless tackle on Kim Shin-wook.

A Son Heung-Min cross struck the face of the Belgium crossbar but the Asian side struggled to create chances.

And Jan Vertonghen scored the Red Devils' winner when he slotted in after a Divock Origi shot was parried.

Belgium have been criticised for a lack of flair so far in the tournament, but there is little question about their resilience as they have let in just one goal in three games and are unbeaten in their last 13 competitive matches.

Key facts

• Belgium kept back-to-back clean sheets at the World Cup for the third time. On all three occasions they won both games 1-0.
• South Korea had 16 shots (including those blocked) and failed to score. They scored with two of eight attempts against Algeria.

Their victory - the first time the Red Devils have won three group games at a World Cup - eliminated a South Korea side who lacked a cutting edge to go with their endeavour.

South Korea boss Hong Myung-Bo apologised to his country's fans after a 4-2 defeat by Algeria in their previous match and his side began with the greater urgency in Sao Paulo.

However, Hong's side might have conceded a spot-kick when Kim Young-gwon cynically blocked Anthony Vanen Borre in an offence which began outside the box and continued inside the penalty area.

And despite all South Korea's early effort they should have gone behind when a Kevin Mirallas shot broke for Dries Mertens, only for the Belgium midfielder to sidefoot high from eight yards with just the keeper to beat.

Hong's side tried to respond, with Ki Sung-yeung's 25-yard shot being turned around the post by keeper Thibaut Courtois.

And from the resulting corner a header back across goal came off Belgium defender Nicolas Lombaerts before being hacked off the line by Defour.

That was almost the last action of the match for Defour as he was soon sent off for a dangerous studs-up tackle which caught Kim on his shin.

Defour receives Belgium's third World Cup red card, after Eric Gerets in 1990 and Gert Verhayen in 1998

With South Korea having the numerical advantage Hong brought on forward Lee Keunho for midfielder Han Kook-young at half-time.

And the substitute striker almost had an immediate impact as he had a shot blocked before heading a cross over, while a Son cross struck the face of the crossbar.

South Korea's need to attack left them exposed at the back and Belgium took advantage.

Origi had looked lively for Belgium after coming on as a substitute and, after his 22-yard strike being parried by keeper Kim Seung-gyu, Vertonghen reacted quickest to slot in the winner.

Belgium's last six World Cup goals have come in the final 20 minutes of matches

South Korea have kept one clean sheet in their past 12 World Cup games

Belgium are unbeaten in their last nine World Cup group stage matches

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

South Korea

• 21Kim Seung-gyu
• 12Lee Yong
• 3Yun
• 16Ki Sung-yueng
• 20HongBooked at 35mins
• 5Kim Young-Gwon
• 17Lee
• 14HanSubstituted forLeeat 45'minutes
• 18Kim Shin-WookSubstituted forKimat 66'minutes
• 13Koo Ja-Cheol
• 9Son Heung-MinSubstituted forJiat 73'minutes

Substitutes

• 1Jung
• 2Kim
• 4Kwak
• 6Hwang
• 7Kim
• 8Ha
• 10Park
• 11Lee
• 15Park
• 19Ji
• 22Park Joo-Ho
• 23Lee

Belgium

• 1Courtois
• 21Vanden Borre
• 5Vertonghen
• 16DefourBooked at 44mins
• 15van Buyten
• 18Lombaerts
• 8Fellaini
• 19DembéléBooked at 50mins
• 11MirallasSubstituted forE Hazardat 88'minutes
• 20JanuzajSubstituted forChadliat 60'minutes
• 14MertensSubstituted forOrigiat 60'minutes

Substitutes

• 2Alderweireld
• 6Witsel
• 7De Bruyne
• 9Lukaku
• 10E Hazard
• 12Mignolet
• 13Bossut
• 17Origi
• 22Chadli
• 23Ciman

Referee:

Ben Williams

Attendance:

61,397

Match Stats

Home TeamSouth KoreaAway TeamBelgium

Possession

Home55%

Away45%

Shots

Home16

Away15

Shots on Target

Home4

Away5

Corners

Home7

Away4

Fouls

Home16

Away12

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, South Korea 0, Belgium 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, South Korea 0, Belgium 1.

Posted at 90'+5'

Foul by Lee Yong (South Korea).

Posted at 90'+5'

Divock Origi (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Koo Ja-Cheol (South Korea).

Posted at 90'+4'

Eden Hazard (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 90'+4'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 90'+3'

Delay in match Anthony Vanden Borre (Belgium) because of an injury.

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt saved. Divock Origi (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 90'+1'

Corner, South Korea. Conceded by Thibaut Courtois.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt saved. Lee Keun-Ho (South Korea) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lee Chung-Yong with a cross.

Posted at 90'+1'

Corner, South Korea. Conceded by Daniel van Buyten.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt blocked. Koo Ja-Cheol (South Korea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lee Yong.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt saved. Lee Chung-Yong (South Korea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ji Dong-Won.

Posted at 90'

Hand ball by Jan Vertonghen (Belgium).

Posted at 90'

Attempt saved. Eden Hazard (Belgium) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Lee Chung-Yong (South Korea).

Posted at 89'

Eden Hazard (Belgium) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Substitution

Posted at 88'

Substitution, Belgium. Eden Hazard replaces Kevin Mirallas.

Posted at 87'

Kim Young-Gwon (South Korea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Divock Origi (Belgium).

Posted at 83'

Foul by Lee Yong (South Korea).

Posted at 83'

Divock Origi (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 83'

Attempt blocked. Ji Dong-Won (South Korea) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lee Chung-Yong.

Posted at 82'

Attempt blocked. Koo Ja-Cheol (South Korea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Yun Suk-Young.

Posted at 80'

Attempt missed. Lee Keun-Ho (South Korea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Kim Bo-Kyung with a through ball.

Goal!

Posted at 77'

Goal! South Korea 0, Belgium 1. Jan Vertonghen (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.

Posted at 77'

Attempt saved. Divock Origi (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jan Vertonghen.

Posted at 76'

Attempt blocked. Ki Sung-Yueng (South Korea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ji Dong-Won.

Posted at 75'

Lee Yong (South Korea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Kevin Mirallas (Belgium).

Posted at 74'

Attempt blocked. Koo Ja-Cheol (South Korea) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ki Sung-Yueng.

Posted at 74'

Yun Suk-Young (South Korea) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Nacer Chadli (Belgium).

Substitution

Posted at 73'

Substitution, South Korea. Ji Dong-Won replaces Son Heung-Min.

Posted at 73'

Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Hong Jeong-Ho.

Posted at 73'

Attempt blocked. Nacer Chadli (Belgium) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

Posted at 72'

Attempt missed. Divock Origi (Belgium) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Kevin Mirallas with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 72'

Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Hong Jeong-Ho.

Posted at 70'

Attempt missed. Jan Vertonghen (Belgium) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Kevin Mirallas.

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