Lee Han-beom, a former South Korean national team defender, scored the winning goal to lead his club Midtjylland to victory in the Danish Football Association (DBU) Pokalen (Danish Cup), boosting his chances of making the final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Midtjylland defeated FC Copenhagen 1-0 in the 2025-2026 DBU Pokalen final held at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Sunday local time.
The victory marked Midtjylland's first title in this tournament in four years, since the 2021-2022 season, and the club's third overall championship.
Lee started the match alongside Cho Gue-sung and played the full 90 minutes. He not only delivered a solid defensive performance throughout the match but also joined the attack in the 82nd minute, scoring the winning goal with a header from a free-kick situation.
Lee had previously scored the winning goal in the first leg of the DBU Pokalen semifinals and assisted on the equalizer in the second leg, contributing attacking points at crucial moments. He once again added a precious winning goal in the final to help his team lift the trophy.
Cho started as the team's striker and played the full 90 minutes. While he failed to register an attacking point, he kept the team's offense lively by competing with the defense at the front throughout the match.
Both Lee and Cho are vying for spots on head coach Hong Myung-bo's final squad for the North American World Cup, which is set to be announced on the afternoon of the 16th.
