South Korea returned to international action with a 3-0 friendly win over Ecuador in Suwon on Thursday, 24 September, turning a goalless first half into a decisive second-half result.
The match was South Korea's first since the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the first under interim head coach Robert Moreno. Yonhap reported that Oh Hyeon-gyu, Son Heung-min and Lee Dong-gyeong supplied the goals, giving Moreno a winning start in charge.
How the match unfolded
There was no breakthrough before half-time, but South Korea changed the game quickly after the restart. Oh opened the scoring in the 54th minute before Son doubled the lead only four minutes later. Lee completed the 3-0 scoreline in the 86th minute.
That short burst after the interval was the key passage of the contest. Ecuador had reached half-time level, but South Korea's two goals in four minutes changed the shape of the match and left the visitors chasing from behind. The late third goal then put the result beyond doubt.
For readers following the score from South Africa, the context matters: this was an international friendly rather than a qualification match, so there were no competition points at stake. Even so, it was a useful early marker for a South Korean side beginning a new coaching period after a disappointing World Cup campaign.
Son moves closer to a national record
Son's goal carried an additional individual milestone. According to Yonhap, it was the South Korea captain's 57th international goal, moving him to within one of Cha Bum-kun's national-team record.
The goal also came in Moreno's first match as interim coach. South Korea appointed the Spaniard on a temporary basis for six friendlies scheduled between September and November, with the Korea Football Association choosing not to rush the appointment of a permanent successor after Hong Myung-bo left the role following the World Cup.
That makes the Ecuador result more than a standalone friendly score. It gave the new coaching setup a clean sheet, three second-half goals and an immediate positive result against a South American opponent.
What it means and what happens next
South Korea now move on to another friendly, with Uruguay due to visit Seoul World Cup Stadium on Monday. Yonhap reported an 8pm local kick-off. That fixture should offer another useful test as Moreno works through the short interim programme.
For Ecuador, the 3-0 defeat is a result to assess rather than a setback in a qualifying table. They remained level for the entire first half, but the second-half sequence decided the match. The final score therefore tells only part of the story: South Korea did not dominate the scoreboard from the start, but once the opening goal arrived, they converted the momentum into a clear victory.
The result recorded by LiveScores South Africa is South Korea 3-0 Ecuador, with all three goals coming after half-time.