S. Korea beat Moldova 4-0 in last tuneup before World Cup qualifiers

 South Korea defeated Moldova 4-0 for their second straight men’s football friendly victory in Turkey on Friday, capping off a successful training camp before the resumption of their World Cup qualifying campaign.

Midfielders Kim Jin-gyu and Paik Seung-ho had a goal apiece in the first half, and Kwon Chang-hoon and Cho Young-wook each scored in the latter half at Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey. South Korea opened training camp there on Jan. 9, in preparation for two upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

South Korea defeated Iceland 5-1 last Saturday. Against world No. 181 Moldova, the 33rd-ranked South Korea predictably controlled the run of play from start to finish and the result was never in doubt.

Kim, Paik and Kwon all scored in back-to-back matches. Cho got his first senior international goal in his debut.

Kim Gun-hee of South Korea (R) and Artiom Litveacov of Moldova battle for the ball during their teams’ football friendly match at Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey, on Jan. 21, 2022, in this photo provided by the Korea Football Association. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Paik scored off a free kick 13 minutes later for his second goal for the senior national team. His spot kick, taken from just outside the box, bounced in front of the diving Avram and skipped past him into the net.

Kwon got a goal for himself just a couple of minutes into the second half. He played a nifty give-and-go with Kim Gun-hee inside the box and flicked the ball with his left foot past Avram to put South Korea up 3-0.

During second-half injury time, substitute Cho Young-wook drew a penalty after getting tripped up by Avram in the box on a breakaway. Cho’s shot attempt rang off the left post and he stepped up to convert the penalty himself to round out the scoring.

Head coach Paulo Bento had 25 players from South Korea’s K League and two players from Japan’s J. League at his Turkey camp. With players based in Europe or other leagues currently in season not available, Bento had a long look at some new faces who had no prior experience with the national team.

Earlier this week, Bento named five players from Europe and one player from Qatar to his roster for the World Cup qualifiers. They will join the national team next week, and after one final training session Saturday, Bento will make some roster cuts, most of whom, if not all, are expected to be K League players.

South Korea will play Lebanon in Sidon next Thursday to resume Group A action in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Then they will face Syria on Feb. 1 in the neutral site of Dubai.

South Korea are currently in second place in Group A with 14 points, two back of Iran, with four matches to play. The top two nations will lock down automatic berths at the World Cup and South Korea can clinch one with a victory over Lebanon.

South Korea have played at every World Cup since 1986.