The E-1 Football Championship kicked off its first match in Yongin, featuring a clash between Korea Rep. and China PR. Host nation Korea Rep., employing a three-back formation, seized control of the game from the outset. Their dominance quickly paid off, with Lee Dong-gyeong opening the scoring in the 8th minute. Receiving the ball from right wing-back Kim Moon-hwan, Lee unleashed a magnificent curling shot that found the back of the net. With the momentum and lead firmly in hand, Korea Rep. continued to press their attack, spearheaded by Lee Dong-gyeong. In the 21st minute, central forward Joo Min-kyu extended Korea Rep.'s lead with a powerful header, converting a precise cross from Lee Tae-seok. China PR did manage to threaten Korea Rep.s goal in the 38th minute, with Gao Tianyi attempting a long-range shot. However, the first half concluded with Korea Rep. holding a comfortable 2-0 advantage.
China PR made a substitution at the start of the second half, bringing on Ba Dun for Gao Junyi. Despite the change, Korea Rep. maintained their control over the match. In the 57th minute, during a corner kick sequence, Kim Ju-sung successfully capitalized to secure Korea Rep.'s third goal. Following this, Korea Rep. introduced a series of substitutions – Kang Sang-yoon·Lee Ho-jae·Seo Min-woo·Mo Jae-hyun, and Lee Seung-won – as they continued to experiment with their lineup. The match concluded with a resounding 3-0 victory for Korea Rep.. As the host nation of the E-1 Football Championship, Korea Rep. marked the opening of the tournament with a convincing win.