South Korea U20 W vs Hungary U20 W

Hungary seized control from the opening whistle. Renáta Keceli-Mészáros scored twice in the first six minutes, and the European side built a 6–2 lead by the ninth minute as South Korea's attack struggled to break through the Hungarian defence. The Asian side's trademark fast-paced style was neutralised by Hungary's compact 6–0 formation.

By half-time, Hungary had stretched the margin to 10 goals, holding South Korea to just seven first-half strikes. The Koreans shot at only 28% efficiency in the opening period (7/25), while Hungary converted 17 of 25 attempts (68%), led by Keceli-Mészáros who had four goals before the break.

South Korea showed more resistance after the interval. Ayoung Suh scored four of her team-high goals in the second half, and Hyeonji Ku converted three penalties. The Koreans matched Hungary's 18–17 second-half output, but the damage was already done. Hungary's lead never dipped below eight goals in the second period.

The match was effectively decided between the 5th and 20th minutes of the first half. After Korea opened at 2–2, Hungary uncorked a 9–2 run that blew the game open. Goalkeeper Chaeeun Go made several saves — she finished with a strong performance — but the attacking errors in front of her were too frequent. The Koreans committed eight turnovers in the first half alone, and Hungary's fast-break transitions punished every mistake.

Renáta Keceli-Mészáros — Player of the Match The Hungarian right back scored a team-high 7 goals from 9 attempts (78% efficiency), adding two assists. She was a constant threat in the first half, scoring four times before the break and dictating the tempo from the centre-back position.

Eunseong Jang — South Korea The Korean centre back scored 9 goals from 14 attempts (64%), a standout individual performance in a losing cause. She was the only Korean player to score more than three goals.

Noémi Kacsó — Hungary The Hungarian playmaker contributed 5 goals from 9 shots, drew multiple suspensions from the Korean defence, and added an assist. Her physical presence at the line created space for Hungary's backcourt shooters.

Bítia Balázs — Hungary The right wing scored 5 goals from 9 attempts (56%), consistently finding gaps on the wing as Korea's defence collapsed inward.

Both teams took exactly 50 shots, but the efficiency gap was decisive: Hungary converted 68% (34/50) to South Korea's 50% (25/50). The disparity was most stark in near-range goals, where Hungary outscored Korea 23–13, reflecting their ability to create high-percentage chances through the pivot and breakthrough positions.

Hungary also dominated the fast break 6–3, converting Korean turnovers into easy transition goals. The European side drew seven suspensions from the Korean defence, forcing them to play shorthanded repeatedly.

Korea's three 7-metre goals (all by Ku Hyeonji) showed they could capitalise from the penalty spot, but they lacked the sustained attacking structure to trouble Hungary's defence in open play.

Hungary, who finished fourth in Main Round Group IV after a competitive campaign, will now play for 13th place on 3 July. The placement represents a step back from the quarter-final ambitions they held earlier in the tournament, when they beat Japan 32–25 in the main round before losing a tight 27–30 contest to Norway.

South Korea, who placed 14th at the previous edition two years ago, will play for 15th place. The Asian side showed flashes of their trademark speed — particularly in the second half — but the first-half deficit proved insurmountable. Their next match is the 15th-place game on 3 July.

Hungary's first-half performance was the difference: a clinical 17–7 period that removed any doubt about the outcome. Keceli-Mészáros led a balanced attack that finished with seven different scorers, while Korea's reliance on individual brilliance from Jang and Ku was not enough to overcome their structural problems against a disciplined Hungarian defence. The 34–25 scoreline accurately reflected the gulf in execution.