Son Dropped as South Korea's World Cup Dream Fades

Heung-Min Son's difficult World Cup tournament took a new turn when South Korea boss Myung-Bo Hong left his captain out of the starting lineup against South Africa, according to Sky Sports. It was the first time Son had been benched across 13 World Cup appearances, a striking moment for one of Asia's most celebrated players.

South Korea paid the price. Thapelo Maseko's goal in the 63rd minute sealed a 1-0 win for South Africa, who secured their place in the knockout rounds for the first time in history. South Korea, having beaten the Czech Republic earlier in the group, now face an anxious wait to see if their results are good enough to progress as one of the best third-placed sides.

For South Africa, manager Hugo Broos has overseen a remarkable turnaround after they were reduced to nine men in a heavy opening defeat to Mexico. The Bafana Bafana now face Canada in the round of 32.