It’s a bad day for the South Korean national soccer team. The team is set to play two exhibition games on Sept. 16 (Peru) and Sept. 20 (El Salvador). Two of the main central defenders, Kim Min-jae (27, Napoli) and Kim Young-kwon (33, Ulsan), are out of action due to basic military training and injury, respectively. The defensive weaknesses that have been a perennial source of anxiety in Korean soccer will be highlighted. Even captain Son Heung-min (31, Tottenham) is uncertain after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia. For now, he will sit on the bench on game day and monitor his condition. The captain’s armband will be worn by goalkeeper Kim Seung-kyu (33, Al-Shabaab).메이저사이트
But national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann (59-Germany) said in a press conference on Friday that it was an opportunity. New faces can fill the void left by the old guard and make a surprise impact. “I hope the new players will seize the opportunity,” he said, adding, “The roster may change at any time. Show enthusiasm.”
Klinsmann will be looking for a central defender to replace 33-year-old Kim Young-kwon in the two games. For now, Park Ji-soo (29-Portimonense) and Jeong Seung-hyun (29-Ulsan), both with A-League experience, seem to be leading the way. Both are strong, physical defenders who can break up attacks and have played 14 and 11 A matches respectively. Klinsmann also checked out the combination on the day of the 12th call-up. ‘Young blood’ Kim Joo-sung (23-Seoul), who has played one A-Match, and first-time call-up Park Kyu-hyun (22-Dynamo Dresden) have also been working hard in training, hoping for a chance.
Son Heung-min’s absence will be filled with a variety of resources. In Klinsmann’s first two friendlies against Colombia and Uruguay in March, just two weeks after his appointment, Son played as a dropped striker and spearheaded the attack. This time around, the team will be without Son Heung-min and will likely play a different game plan. “We’re thinking about various Plan B’s, such as Hwang Hee-chan (27-Wolverhampton) and Oh Hyun-gyu (22-Celtic),” Klinsmann said. There is also the question of who will start in the center of defense. Cho Kyu-sung (25-North Korea) started against Colombia and Hwang Eui-jo (31-Seoul) against Uruguay.
Klinsmann’s men, who drew 1-1 in the last trial, will be looking for their first win in the two-game series. They will face Peru at 8 p.m. on Sept. 16 at the Busan Asiad Stadium and El Salvador at 8 p.m. on Sept. 20 at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium. Both matches will be broadcast live by TV Chosun.