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Keeper Jo shines in U.S. friendly win as players vie for World Cup spots

Published: 08 Sep. 2025, 16:15 Updated: 08 Sep. 2025, 16:41

Korean national team manager Hong Myung-bo looks on during training at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey on Sept. 5. [YONHAP]

Korea’s 2-0 win over the United States on Saturday offered manager Hong Myung-bo a clearer picture of players battling for spots on the 2026 FIFA World Cup roster.

Hong said before the fixture that he needed to "keep experimenting to see which players are competitive."

Saturday's friendly did turn out to be a stage where Hong could see which players have World Cup roster potential.

Ulsan HD goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo stood out. Without his saves, Korea could have conceded three goals.

In the 14th minute, Jo also denied a strike from Sebastian Berhalter. After a slow second half, he saved back-to-back shots from Folarin Balogun in stoppage time, with a third attempt at goal hitting the crossbar.

Jo was the No. 1 choice at the 2018 World Cup in Russia but lost his place to Kim Seung-gyu at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Lee Jae-sung of Mainz, meanwhile, reminded fans why he's nicknamed "the football master."

He threaded a pass to Son Heung-min for the opening goal and linked up with Son again in the buildup to Lee Dong-gyeong’s second.

The Mainz midfielder, who can play both as a central and attacking midfielder, remains a vital figure in the squad.

The Korean national team trains at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey on Sept. 5. [YONHAP]

Born in the same year as Son, he is entering his mid-30s and must be wary of injuries, with a right hamstring injury forcing a substitution and casting doubt on his availability for a friendly against Mexico on Tuesday.

Jens Castrop of Borussia Monchengladbach, the first foreign-born player of mixed heritage to play for the Korean men's squad, got his first cap for Korea in the 63rd minute when he replaced Kim Jin-gyu.

Castrop played about 30 minutes, breaking up U.S. attacks with energy and speed. Hong had called him “a fighter rarely seen in Korean football,” and he lived up to the description by disrupting play like a “second vacuum cleaner.”

According to football statistics provider FotMob, Castrop recorded 26 touches, an 89 percent pass completion rate, two interceptions and one clearance, tackle and header apiece.

He will have to vie for a World Cup roster spot with regular picks such as Kim, Park Yong-woo of Al Ain and Paik Seung-ho of Birmingham City.

Over in the forward position, Oh Hyeon-gyu of KRC Genk showcased determination, although he did not make a goal contribution in Saturday's match.

Oh, 24, has yet to establish himself as a No. 1 pick in Hong's squad, but he demonstrated his potential during the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup by picking up four goals across eight qualifiers.

Fellow strikers Oh Se-hun of Machida Zelvia scored two in eight qualifiers, while Joo Min-kyu of Daejeon Hana Citizen registered just one in five appearances.

None of the three strikers has played in a World Cup, although Oh Hyeon-gyu landed on the reserves list for the 2022 World Cup.

The friendly against Mexico will give Hong's players a chance to showcase their potential.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE HAY-JUNE [[email protected]]