AL RAYYAN, Qatar, (Reuters) – South Korea talisman Son Heung-min is still without a goal at this World Cup but he will not care about that after running himself into the ground yesterday to ensure his team reached the last 16 in the most dramatic fashion.
The Asian side simply refused to accept that their World Cup dream was over and it was captain Son who epitomised the Koreans’ relentless energy with a selfless display. A day after Japan set the tone by stunning Spain 2-1 in their final game to reach the knockout phase on a night of mind-boggling drama, Son made sure South Korea’s fans could kick-start their own party in the Education City Stadium. The 30-year-old Tottenham Hotspur forward, who has scored 35 goals for his country and is the darling of their fans, who wear his shirt with such pride, has played the whole tournament wearing a black mask to protect a cheek fracture.