Son Heung-Min scores for South Korea, knocks Germany out of the World Cup

It’s sort of a good-news-bad-news thing. South Korea, knowing that the needed to beat Germany to have any chance of escaping their World Cup group, did exactly that today in Kazan. Kim Young-Gwon tucked away a close range effort in the 94th minute and Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-Min scored on a breakaway goal three minutes later with Manuel Neur pulled and upfield, as Korea knocked the defending World Cup champions out of Russia with a 2-0 win.

Sonny’s goal came as Germany were desperate to equalize. Joachim Low opted to pull Manuel Neuer from goal, and the Koreans took advantage, firing a long ball to a sprinting Son who easily rounded the last defender and passed it into the net.

It was no less than what Korea deserved after defending resolutely and fending off a host of German attacks to earn the win. Unfortunately it was too little too late for Korea — the Taeguk Warriors also needed Mexico to beat Sweden to advance, and the Swedes won 3-0 in the group’s other match to win the group. Mexico advances — barely — in second place.

As most expected, Sonny and Korea are heading home earlier than they would’ve liked from this summer’s World Cup, but they certainly went out in style! Now it’s time for Tottenham fans to start a letter writing campaign to South Korean president Moon Jae-in to get Sonny exempted from his mandatory military service.