Son Heung-min's first goal celebration (Provo [Utah, USA] = Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Jun-hee = A friendly match between South Korea and Trinidad and Tobago held at South Field, Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA on the 30th. South Korea's Son Heung-min scores his first goal and celebrates. 2026.5.31 hama@yna.co.kr

Hong Myung-bo's team, challenging for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, decisively defeated Trinidad and Tobago with multi-goals from captain Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland).

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, achieved a dominant 5-0 victory against Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly match held at South Field, Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA on the 31st (KST).

Son Heung-min scored in the 40th minute from a ground pass by Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon) and added another goal from a penalty kick three minutes later, giving South Korea the lead.

With his 55th and 56th consecutive international goals, Son Heung-min is now just two goals shy of the record held by former national team coach Cha Bum-kun (58 goals), who is the all-time leading scorer for South Korean male players in international matches.

In the second half, Cho Gue-sung also scored multiple goals, and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) added a penalty kick, delighting the expatriate fans who filled the stands.

Good job, Heung-min (Provo [Utah, USA] = Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Jun-hee = A friendly match between South Korea and Trinidad and Tobago held at South Field, Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA on the 30th. South Korea's Son Heung-min talks with coach Hong Myung-bo as he is substituted in the second half. 2026.5.31 hama@yna.co.krHong Myung-bo's team has recorded 5 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses in nine friendly matches played since the latter half of last year.

They have broken their negative streak from the March friendlies where they lost to Ivory Coast (0-4) and Austria (0-1), securing their first win in three matches since the game against Ghana (1-0) last year.

Ivory Coast is ranked 102nd in the FIFA rankings, 77 places below South Korea (25th). They failed to qualify for this World Cup finals.

Following this match, Hong Myung-bo's team will play another friendly against El Salvador (June 4th, 10 AM KST) before heading to Guadalajara, Mexico, the venue for the World Cup group stage matches and their base camp.

Despite the convincing victory, Hong Myung-bo's team couldn't fully celebrate. Cho Yu-min (Sharjah) and Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City) were substituted sequentially in the second half due to concerns about injuries.

Cho Yu-min was carried off the field by medical staff, and Bae Jun-ho was assisted by the medical team as he left.

Second half hydration break (Provo [Utah, USA] = Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Jun-hee = A friendly match between South Korea and Trinidad and Tobago held at South Field, Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA on the 30th. South Korea's coach Hong Myung-bo instructs tactics during the hydration break in the second half. 2026.5.31 hama@yna.co.kr

Hong Myung-bo's team fielded a lineup primarily composed of K League players and those from the English Championship (second division) who had arrived earlier for pre-camp training to improve their physical condition.

Amidst this, Son Heung-min, who plays in the U.S. and joined the pre-camp about a week later than the main squad, started as the lone striker at the forefront of the attack.

Bae Jun-ho and Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan) supported the lone striker Son Heung-min from the second attacking line.

Coach Hong, who has been actively employing a three-back defensive formation since last year, deployed it once again.

Kim Jin-gyu (Jeonbuk) and Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City) anchored the midfield, with Jens Castrop (Mönchengladbach) and Kim Moon-hwan operating as right and left wing-backs.

The three-back defense consisted of Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon), who was a surprise call-up from the K League, on the left, followed by Cho Yu-min and Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland) in the center. Lee Ki-hyuk played the entire match.

The goalkeeper gloves were worn by Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan).

Cho Wi-je and Kang Sang-yun (both Jeonbuk), who joined the pre-camp as training partners due to players not being fully match-fit, were listed on the substitutes' bench.

Gue-sung, please score two goals (Provo [Utah, USA] = Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Jun-hee = A friendly match between South Korea and Trinidad and Tobago held at South Field, Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA on the 30th. South Korea's Cho Gue-sung talks with coach Hong Myung-bo during the hydration break. 2026.5.31 hama@yna.co.krTo sow even a little confusion among their World Cup opponents, the players wore jersey numbers they don't usually wear.

Son Heung-min wore number 13 instead of his iconic number 7, while Lee Tae-seok, who usually wears 13, sat on the bench wearing 7. Kim Min-jae was also given number 16, deviating from his usual number 4.

In the 6th minute of the first half, Son Heung-min made a solo run and drew a foul at the edge of the penalty area.

Son Heung-min's first shot, a direct free-kick, was blocked by the defensive wall.

In the ensuing play, a cross from Kim Moon-hwan on the right was deflected by an opposing defender onto the crossbar.

South Korea's second shot didn't come until the 31st minute. A cross from Kim Moon-hwan on the right was met by Baek Seung-ho, who had surged into the box, with a header, but the opposing goalkeeper made a superb save.

Three minutes later, Cho Yu-min lost possession due to a risky dribble, leading to a solo run and shot by Trinidad and Tobago's Dante Sili. Lee Han-beom successfully tackled and blocked Sili's shot.

The deadlock in Hong Myung-bo's team's attack was finally broken, as expected, by Son Heung-min.

Cho Gue-sung's header goal (Provo [Utah, USA] = Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Jun-hee = A friendly match between South Korea and Trinidad and Tobago held at South Field, Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA on the 30th. South Korea's Cho Gue-sung scores a header and celebrates. 2026.5.31 hama@yna.co.kr

In the 40th minute of the first half, Kim Jin-gyu's lobbed pass was delivered precisely to the feet of Kim Moon-hwan, who had made a penetrating run.

Son Heung-min, who was following up on the opportunity created by Kim Moon-hwan's pass, did not miss. His right-footed shot deflected off the goalkeeper and into the net.

Then, in the 43rd minute, Son Heung-min converted a penalty kick awarded after Bae Jun-ho was fouled by Sili.

Coach Hong made a substitution at the start of the second half, bringing on Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) in place of Kim Jin-gyu. Then, in the 9th minute of the second half, Park Jin-seop was introduced as a replacement for the injured Cho Yu-min.

In the 14th minute of the second half, Bae Jun-ho suffered a painful foul from a deep back tackle by Molik Khan.

Shortly thereafter, Bae Jun-ho, along with Son Heung-min, Lee Han-beom, Baek Seung-ho, Castrop, and Kim Moon-hwan, were substituted by Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Um Ji-sung (Swansea City), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Seol Young-woo (Crvena Zvezda), and Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord).

Hwang Hee-chan's goal (Provo [Utah, USA] = Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Jun-hee = A friendly match between South Korea and Trinidad and Tobago held at South Field, Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA on the 30th. South Korea's Hwang Hee-chan scores a goal and celebrates. 2026.5.31 hama@yna.co.kr

Cho Gue-sung took over the mantle of relentless attack from Son Heung-min.

In the 20th minute of the second half, Lee Dong-gyeong broke through on the right and delivered a left-footed outside-of-the-foot cross, which Cho Gue-sung met with a powerful header into the back of the net.

Cho Gue-sung scored his second goal in the 32nd minute of the second half, finishing off a low cross from Seol Young-woo with his right foot from close range.

In the meantime, in the 30th minute of the second half, Hwang Hee-chan made it 4-0 from a penalty kick. Earlier, Um Ji-sung had been fouled by the goalkeeper during a contest and earned the penalty.

To improve their acclimatization to the high altitude of Guadalajara, Hong Myung-bo's team is undergoing their final preparations at a pre-camp in Salt Lake City, which is situated at an altitude of 1,460 meters above sea level. (Yonhap News)