[Anchor]

The national football team, making a fresh start under Spanish-born coach Moreno, kicked off on a high note by defeating Ecuador 3-0 in a friendly match. Oh Hyeon-gyu, Son Heung-min, and Lee Dong-kyeong each scored a goal.

Reporter Lee Jeong-Chan has the story.

[Reporter]

Driven by expectations for a fresh start overcoming the shock of being eliminated in the round of 32 at the North and Central America World Cup, fans flocked to Suwon World Cup Stadium.

[Moon Jung-ju / Football Fan: As a citizen, I came here with the heart to support my country.]

[Kim Byeong-min / Football Fan: I came with anticipation and hope that there would be some changes as the coach has newly changed.]

[Go Korea, Fighting!]

Son Heung-min and Oh Hyeon-gyu formed a two-top forward line deployed by newly appointed head coach Moreno, signaling the beginning of a new era.

First, Suwon native Oh Hyeon-gyu broke the tight deadlock in the 9th minute of the second half.

Kim Min-jae's sharp forward pass was relayed up front by Song Min-gyu with a burst of speed, and Oh Hyeon-gyu pushed through the opponent's defensive pressure to finish with a powerful right-footed shot, driving the 30,000 spectators at Big Bird into a frenzy.

Four minutes later, captain Son Heung-min took flight.

From a tight angle near the penalty box, his right-footed curling shot miraculously zipped straight into the net.

Son Heung-min, who had stayed quiet on the World Cup stage, scored his 57th A-match goal, moving just one goal shy of Cha Bum-kun's all-time record for most goals.

Coach Moreno then made sweeping changes by using all 8 substitution cards. Lee Dong-kyeong, boasting peak form in the K League, was subbed in for Son Heung-min and netted the-capper just one minute later, sealing a comfortable 3-0 victory.

[Son Heung-min / National Football Team Captain: Thinking about the World Cup, my heart naturally aches so much, and I think ultimately the only way is to show it again through matches like this. I hope everyone doesn't get overly excited by just today's single match.]

Taking a powerful first step, the national team will play its second friendly match of this four-match A-match series next Monday against Uruguay.

(Photo: Yonhap News) (Camera: Hwang In-seok, Video Editing: Lee Hong-myung)