Oh’s second-half replacement, Oh Hyeon-gyu, scored in his second straight game to give South Korea a 2-1 lead. The 23-year-old also scored as a substitute against Jordan last week.

“We had such a great preparation for this game that we were all very confident,” Oh Hyeon-gyu said afterwards. “No matter what head coach Hong Myung-bo asks of me, I will be ready to give my best. He always gives me confidence and makes it very clear how he wants to use me. I think it helped me score the goal tonight.

It was 32-year-old Lee Jae-sung who set up Oh Hyeon-gyu’s goal and later scored himself with a diving header. But he was happy to cede the spotlight to his younger teammates in this game.

“As a veteran, I’m happy to have contributed to the win tonight,” Lee said. “And I think it means a lot to the national team that we can see some young players step up. I think we have a bright future ahead of us. As an older man, I will try to help them continue to grow.”

Lee Kang-in, 23, was the youngest player in previous national team appearances, but at least he now has more contemporaries, with Bae one of two players younger than Lee in this squad.

With 33 caps to his name, he has far more experience than anyone in his age group, giving him a unique insight into the development of these young talents.

“After training with them and playing with them, I could tell they are all very talented,” Lee said. “I hope they all become players who can help the team and I will continue to do my best.”

Bae made his presence felt on the left wing for the second game in a row, with the spot vacated first by the injury of captain Son Heung-min and then to his two substitutes, Hwang Hee-chan and Eom Ji-sung.

The loss of Son and Hwang, attackers from Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively, would have been a huge blow to South Korea had Bae not excelled in those two games.

Bae caused a stir at Stoke City last season, securing the award as the second division club’s best player. Against Jordan and Iraq, Bae showcased his playmaking skills and ability to break through a wall of defenders on the left.

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