S. Korea fall to Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup tune-up

All News 22:02 June 01, 2018

By Yoo Jee-ho

JEONJU, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1 in their final World Cup tune-up match at home on Friday, submitting a sloppy performance with the big tournament fast approaching.

Edin Visca scored a hat trick for the 41st-ranked Bosnia against world No. 61 South Korea, who got their lone goal from midfielder Lee Jae-sung in the first half.

For the second straight World Cup, South Korea dropped their final tune-up contest at home. Four years ago, South Korea lost to Tunisia 1-0 in Seoul before the World Cup in Brazil, and went on to suffer an early group stage exit with a draw and two losses.

In Russia later this month, South Korea will face Sweden, Mexico and Germany in Group F.

South Korea head coach Shin Tae-yong will cut three players from the current provisional squad to finalize his 23-man World Cup roster on Saturday.

South Korean players react after giving up a go-ahead goal in the first half of their 3-1 loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a World Cup tune-up match at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 240 kilometers south of Seoul, on June 1, 2018. (Yonhap)

After the teams traded a handful of chances early in the game, the visitors opened the scoring in the 28th minute with Visca's first goal.

Eldar Civic's cross from the left flank for striker Edin Dzeko missed the intended target, but with the AS Roma star double teamed in the box, Visca was left all alone to fire home the loose ball past goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu.

Lee responded for South Korea just two minutes later. Hwang Hee-chan took a long pass from midfield and flicked it toward the charging Lee, who dragged goalkeeper Ibrahim Sehic out of the net before chipping it over him to level the score.

South Korea appeared poised to take the 1-1 score into the second half, but Visca struck again after catching the defense napping. Only moments before the break, Haris Duljevic delivered a lengthy cross to Visca for a one-on-one chance, and the midfielder again beat Kim with relatively ease.

The late goal took the wind out of South Korea's sails, as the hosts' efforts for a second-half equalizer fell flat.

Visca completed his hat trick in the 79th with a one-timer off another long cross from left.

Lee Seung-woo and Moon Seon-min, two offensive heroes in a 2-0 win over Honduras on Monday, came off the bench after Visca made it 3-1 for Bosnia-Herzegovina, but failed to bring South Korea out of the hole.