Three days later, at the Estadio Elías Aguirre in Chiclayo.
Group C, Round 2.
The match between Italy and the United States, held at 3:30 PM local time, ended without any surprises.
Italy secured a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Right after that, the match between South Korea and Côte d'Ivoire began, and it turned into an unpredictable battle.
It was a true dogfight.
South Korea came out in a 4-3-3 formation and successfully took the initiative against Côte d'Ivoire's 4-4-2, but in turn, the Ivorians overwhelmed the Koreans with their incredible physicality.
With neither side giving an inch, the tightly contested match ended in a 1-1 draw.
This result put South Korea at the top of the group with 1 win and 1 draw.
However, since the final result hinged on the last match, they couldn't afford to relax just yet.
Three days later, on September 23.
It was the final match of the group stage, with South Korea and Italy set to face off at the Mansiche Stadium in Trujillo, about 200 kilometers from Chiclayo.
Clatter!
As it was the last group match that would determine qualification for the quarterfinals, a pre-match press conference was held.
First to speak was Italy's head coach, Demis.
A reporter, who looked Hispanic, asked a standard question.
"If you lose to Korea, you'll need to consider the tiebreakers. How are you approaching this match?"
"I haven't even considered losing. Unless, of course, there's an issue with the referee."
"Uh…"
The reporter was completely thrown off by the unexpected answer.
Another reporter raised his hand.
"Are you… referring to the Round of 16 match at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup?"
"Well, now that you've said it, it does sound like that, doesn't it? Say what you will. However…"
Demis twitched his thick white mustache and continued.
"I was an assistant coach for Italy at the 2002 World Cup. I have a lot to say, but this isn't a pub, so I'll leave it there."
Even that alone was an outrageous statement.
Although he wasn't expressing it directly, it was clear from his tone that he held a strong grudge against Korea.
"Then just one last question. What do you think of Korea's Ho-young? Italy's defense has been criticized as weak compared to its strong attacking line. How do you plan to stop him?"
"No matter what people say, we'll play our game. If Ho-young scores two, we'll score three. We've got Giovinco."
"Are you saying Ho-young doesn't measure up to Giovinco?"
"It's laughable to even compare. Giovinco was born in 1987, and Ho-young in 1993. Is it really reasonable to compare them?"
"What about the rest of the Korean squad?"
"I don't have time to memorize Korean players' names. As long as I know their key traits, isn't that enough?"
"Haha. That's some serious confidence."
Laughter spread across the room.
But then one reporter, wearing a puzzled expression, raised a question in English.
"Korea won the Montaigu Tournament in France earlier this year. Don't you think you're underestimating them? Many see them as dark horses in this tournament. Are your words sincere or just bravado?"
"Bravado? You're a Korean journalist, right?"
"I'm Hwang Tae-seok from Korea Daily Sports."
At the reporter's confident response, Demis answered sharply.
"Watch the match and see."
Demis had more to say, but he left the podium to avoid further controversy.
About 30 minutes later, the national anthem rang out through the stadium.
[The day of reckoning has arrived. Shortly, the third group stage match between South Korea and Italy will begin. Mr. Park Moon-suk, how do you see this one going?]
[Yes. For both teams, it will depend heavily on the performances of their star players. That being said, how each team uses Ho-young and Giovinco will be key to deciding the outcome.]
[Well said. As many already know, Italy has a key player in Sebastian Giovinco. Could you tell us a bit about him?]
Sebastian Giovinco.
Born in 1987, his technical maturity was already well-established.
But his weaknesses stood out just as clearly.
'He looks even smaller in person.'
Mansiche Stadium.
As they exchanged handshakes, Ho-young had to look down.
That's how much shorter Giovinco was.
[Sebastian Giovinco]
[Possessed Talents: Football Prodigy (A+2), Amazing Passing (S-), Legs Faster Than a Lamborghini (A+2), Precise and Quick Kicks (A-), Excellent Dribbling (B+2)]
[More available]
(Amazing Passing (S-) can only be obtained by fulfilling hidden conditions.)
(You can obtain one talent by meeting the required condition.)
(Condition 1: Play together for 90 minutes)
(Condition 2: Be selected as MOM)
(Condition 3: Score more goals than Sebastian Giovinco)
(Hidden Condition: Unlockable after acquiring at least one talent)
He was well-known among fans of Juventus, Italy's football powerhouse.
'He was once hailed as the future of Juventus.'
True to his agile frame, he played a technical attacking midfielder role.
However, at only 160 cm tall, his physical stature was a major drawback.
And it wasn't as if his frame was bulky either.
He was small and his body balance was poor.
Worse still, his mentality was fragile. If he failed to break through a few times, he would mentally collapse and fail to perform.
Despite all that, he was still considered a top-tier prospect thanks to his immense natural talent.
'Talent-wise, he's almost on par with last year's Kaka.'
Of course, Kaka had since entered his prime and had likely grown far beyond that level, but Giovinco was still elite enough to be called a top-class talent.
In that sense, today was an extremely important day.
A match where he could acquire valuable talent.
And a match that would determine if they would reach the quarterfinals.
Thump.
That was the sound of Ho-young's heart.
Whistle
The referee blew his whistle.
This was the final hurdle before the knockout stage.
The atmosphere hit its peak the moment the ball began to roll.
Ho-young charged forward.
As the match began, Italy used a 4-2-3-1 formation, leaning heavily on the flanks, and placed Giovinco in central midfield to maximize playmaking.
As the attacking midfielder, Giovinco distributed sharp passes to both wings and forward. When South Korea dropped their defensive line, he attempted solo drives.
He was a threat regardless of how you played him.
'Defense first.'
A strong offense begins with a solid defense. To gain the upper hand, the team needed to tighten its shape and organize effectively.
With that in mind, Ho-young dropped deeper into midfield as instructed, contributing on both ends.
He visualized the pitch in his mind, analyzing the flow of the match.
The duel would come down to the attacking midfielders on both sides.
The outcome would be decided there.
Minute 5 of the first half.
Italy's head coach Demis was already on edge.
"Damn it!"
Only five minutes in, and he was already showing signs of frustration.
Giovinco was completely ineffective.
And the reason was none other than Ho-young, who was applying pressure from deep.
'Why the hell is that kid dropping so deep?'
Demis had overlooked one key factor.
Ho-young's solid physicality.
It was enough to erase Giovinco's presence from the pitch.
Yes, age matters.
But just as important was physique.
Giovinco usually used his acceleration to outmaneuver larger defenders, but Ho-young's speed and strength neutralized that strength completely.
'What the hell? He wasn't this physical in the previous matches.'
Demis had watched all of Ho-young's recent games.
But Ho-young had not shown this level of aggression in any of them.
If he had been playing at 80% against the USA and Côte d'Ivoire, today he was giving everything he had.
'He was saving his stamina?'
Whatever the case, for Giovinco, it was as if he'd met his worst nightmare.
And the one experiencing it firsthand was close to exploding.
Giovinco snapped.
"Forwards should stay up front. Stop clogging things up down here. You're just hurting yourself. Football's a game of stamina."
"What? Say that again in English if you've got something to say."
"Watch your stamina."
"I used to be a marathon runner."
"You crazy bastard!"
Ho-young didn't care one bit.
That only made Giovinco fall deeper into the trap.
Because Ho-young knew exactly what would drive him mad.
After facing him head-on, it became clear.
Giovinco was emotional, impatient, and mentally fragile.
'He's got half the mental strength of someone like Oscar.'
Ho-young actively exploited that.
Every time Giovinco tried to break through the middle, Ho-young would shadow him, preventing him from playing his game.
That alone was enough to throw Giovinco off, causing him to repeatedly make mistakes.
He had a wide-open mouth, but a blocked throat.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape the pressure.
With fierce determination in his eyes, Ho-young shadowed Giovinco like a ghost.
If stalkers existed on the pitch, this was what it would feel like.
'Where the hell did this lunatic come from?'
"Hey, kid. You're dead."
"If I'm a kid, you're a baby."
Ho-young, who stood over 172 cm tall, looked down at Giovinco and said.
"Damn it!"
Giovinco's mentality was completely shattered. His body and mind stiffened.
He was turning into a scarecrow.
With the defense stabilized, Korea's attack also began to flourish.
It was a textbook example of how space can appear and disappear in an instant.
Once they revealed their hidden fangs, holes in Italy's defense started to show.
Coach Park Kyung-woon then assigned Ho-young to play on the left wing.
With solid defense and midfield control as a foundation, he was now tasked with delivering a direct blow — becoming the team's crack.
In other words, the bomber.
"Spread out more!"
From midfield, Koo Ja-young shouted as the forward line split in three directions.
Suk Hyun-jun went center, Lee Chung-yong to the right, and Ho-young to the left.
It is the striker's job to open the passing lanes, not the linker's.
And Ho-young was doing it perfectly.
Thud!
A fast low ball rolled into the left flank, stopping at Ho-young's feet.
Using flashy footwork, he dribbled down the touchline.
"Phew."
He caught his breath and scanned the box.
Suk Hyun-jun was raising his hand as he made a run into the box.
'Cross it!'
That's what Suk Hyun-jun's face was saying.
He looked full of confidence and was making a bold run.
But the defender in front was closing down the crossing angle.
And he had backup too, doubling up on Ho-young.
'A direct cross is too risky.'
The defenders were over 180 cm tall.
There was a five-year age gap too.
A head-on challenge wasn't the right choice.
So, Ho-young cut inward at a 90-degree angle, pushing toward the center.
Using his agility and burst speed, he broke away from the defenders like a sheepdog herding them.
One second was enough.
Then.
"Gap!"
He spotted an opening outside the box and slid in a low pass.
But the target wasn't Suk Hyun-jun.
It was Koo Ja-young, sprinting in from deep.
"…Hey!!"
The Italian defenders scrambled, completely thrown off by the unexpected pass.
"Stop him!"
Nearby defenders rushed toward Koo Ja-young.
But it was all bait.
Just as everyone expected him to take a long-range shot, Koo Ja-young returned the ball to Ho-young.
"Damn it! Close him down!!"
The defenders reacted fast, but in football, 0.1 seconds can decide everything.
And it was true.
The ball had already left Ho-young's foot.
Boom!
A thunderous strike echoed, cutting through the air.
It was a clean hit.
A cannonball-like shot that left the Italian goalkeeper stunned.
Thump!
"Argh!"
The keeper leaped into the air, letting out a breath of relief.
He had managed to get a fingertip on the shot.
A miraculous save?
'Yes!'
The ball brushed his middle finger and deflected sideways.
But then it bent back and into the goal.
Rippling net.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
The shot was too powerful for a single finger to stop.
The goalkeeper stared blankly at the celebrating Korean players.
He couldn't believe they had just conceded the opening goal.
But the despair was just beginning.
By the end of the first half, Italy's net was shaken once more.
And near the end of the second half, Coach Demis's face twisted like a poorly made dumpling.
(To be continued.)