Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur scored a header in the opening period to give South Korea the victory over Cameroon on Tuesday in a friendly in Seoul. After Indomitable Lions goalkeeper Andre Onana parried Kim Jin-shot Su’s in the 35th minute, the 30-year-old nodded in the rebound. 

In the South Korean capital, coach Rigobert Song selected a powerful team to face the Asians, but Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu’s bolt long-range attempt was just wide midway through the first half. 

Olivier Ntcham, Martin Hongla, and Pierre Kunde all squandered opportunities for Cameroon, who played the entire match with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, while Léandre Tawamba saw his stoppage-time shot saved.

According to Song, the five-time African champions will face Jamaica in a friendly in Yaounde on November 9 before departing for Qatar. The five-time African champions will begin their World Cup campaign against Switzerland and are also placed in Group G with Brazil and Serbia at the finals. 

Senegal, the reigning African champion, and Iran, another team headed to the World Cup, drew 1-1 in an early match in Austria.

After 55 minutes, Senegal took the lead after defender Morteza Pouraliganji scored on his own goal from a tight angle. 

Only nine minutes had passed after the Teranga Lions’ 2-0 victory over Bolivia on Saturday when Sardar Azmoun of Iran headed in a cross from left defender Ehsan Hajsafi to tie the score. 

The first match Aliou Cisse’s team plays in Qatar is against the Netherlands, and then Group A matches against the hosts and Ecuador will follow.

Later on Tuesday, as both teams continued their World Cup preparations, Ghana defeated Nicaragua 1-0 with a goal from teenager Abdul Fatawu Issahaku while Morocco were held to a scoreless draw by Paraguay. 

In another match, five-time world champions Brazil defeated fifth-placed Tunisia 5-1 in a contest tainted by racism towards South American striker Richarlison. Tunisia was Africa’s sixth representative at the finals. 

Other outcomes involving teams not going to Qatar saw Egypt defeat Liberia 3-0, Algeria defeat Nigeria 2-1, and the following hosts of the Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast, outclass Guinea 3-1.

This was South Korea’s last game played at full strength prior to the November 20–December period. World Cup in Qatar, year 18. Before leaving for Qatar in November, South Korea will probably play a sendoff game at home without any European-based stars. 

Last Friday, South Korea and Costa Rica drew 2-2. In an effort to find the ideal lineup for the World Cup, head coach Paulo Bento started five new players for the game on Tuesday.

Lee Jae-sung threatened the Cameroon goal with a diving header in the fifth minute and a right-footed shot in the following minute as South Korea assumed complete control from the outset. 

After a clearing effort fell at his feet outside the box in the 26th minute, Moumi Ngamaleu of Cameroon took a shot with his right foot that went over the goal.

Son eventually provided the conversation starter. Kim Jin-su was let free by Lee Jae-sung and fired a powerful shot directly at goalkeeper Andre Onana after inside the box. Son was in the goalmouth when the save fell to him, and the Johnny-on-the-spot player made no mistakes in scoring his 35th goal for his country.

South Korea attempted to score a second goal early in the second half after surviving Mbeumo’s close call, but Jeong Woo-header Yeong’s in the 47th minute went over the goal. 

As the game went on, Cameroon upped their offensive pressure in an effort to find the elusive equalizer.

In the 51st minute, Olivier Ntcham’s left-footed attempt was wide to the right of the goal, while in the 70th minute, Martin Hongla’s right-footed attempt from within the box came up just short of beating goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu. 

Son’s 87th-minute free kick, which found the back of the net, was his final attempt to score his second goal of the evening. 

The attacker Hwang Ui-jo, who came off the bench in the 72nd minute, was replaced nine minutes later due to an injury, which lost South Korea the victory.