‘Captain’ Son Heung-min (Tottenham) finally returned to Lake Klinsmann.
The Korean national soccer team, led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, will play the second international match of October against Vietnam at Suwon World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 17th.
Korea, which defeated Tunisia 4-0 on the 13th, will challenge for a consecutive win in the A match in October. Vietnam, ranked 95th in FIFA, is evaluated to be several levels lower than Korea (26th) in terms of power. However, as coach Park Hang-seo has led the team over the past six years, they have grown into the strongest team in Southeast Asian soccer, making them an opponent that cannot be overlooked.
In particular, we must effectively attack Vietnam’s dense defense. Korea is preparing for the second qualifying round of the World Cup Asia region in November and the Asian Cup finals in January next year. Because their power is weaker than that of Korea, they must continue to compete against teams that focus on defense. It is expected to be a good test for Korea as it prepares for the upcoming stage.
Before the game, Korea revealed its starting lineup. Son Heung-min (Tottenham), who missed the game against Tunisia due to a groin injury, will wear the captain’s armband and start as a starter. Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who played well by scoring multiple goals in the match against Tunisia, is aiming for a goal in two consecutive games.
Cho Gyu-seong (Midtjylland) was named as the frontline striker, and flankers Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) and Lee Jae-seong (Mainz 05) were also named. Park Yong-woo (Al Ain) guarded the back, and the back four consisted of Lee Ki-je (Suwon Samsung), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Jeong Seung-hyun (Ulsan), and Seol Young-woo (Ulsan). Cho Hyun-woo (Ulsan) wore the goalkeeper gloves.
There is no significant change compared to the Tunisia game. Hong Hyun-seok and Kim Seung-gyu were out, and Son Heung-min and Jo Hyun-woo were in. Kim Jin-soo, Kim Young-kwon, Kim Joo-seong, Kim Tae-hwan, Hwang In-beom, Lee Sun-min, Jeong Woo-young, Moon Seon-min, Hwang Ui-jo, and Oh Hyun-gyu are on the bench.
Before the game, Coach Klinsmann held a pre-match press conference and expressed his determination, saying, “I do not think of Vietnam as an underdog. They are an opponent we can meet in the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers. I also emphasized this to the players. We will do our best.” He then added, “I will pay attention to what parts to prepare and test.”
I am also looking forward to the chemistry between Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in. Coach Klinsmann said, “It will be worth watching to see what kind of harmony Son Heung-min will form when he returns.”
Coach Philippe Trussier acknowledged Korea’s strength, saying, “Korea has a lot of outstanding European players and a steady stream of talented new players. They continue to participate in the World Cup finals and their strength has improved further than before.” He said, “This match against Korea is a good opportunity. Rather than experimenting, I will show my best performance.”메이저놀이터
Meanwhile, the game on this day recorded a crowd of 10,000 won, proving the fans’ passion for the national team. A total of 41,000 seats at Suwon World Cup Stadium were sold. According to the Korea Football Association, the A match held at Suwon World Cup Stadium was sold out three times in a row. Except for the 2022 Qatar World Cup final qualifying match against Lebanon in September 2021, which was held without spectators due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), friendly matches against Chile in September 2018, Paraguay in June of last year, and this match against Vietnam were sold out one after another.