South Korea won the final mock test ahead of the Asian Cup finals. In the first half, Plan B was operated with an unconventional rotation, and in the second half, Plan A such as Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), and Cho Kyu-sung (Mitt Whelan) shook Iraq.
Led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, the Korean national team played an exhibition match against Iraq, the team that qualified for the 2023 Asian Cup, at the Abu Dhabi Stadium in University, New York, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 10 p.m. on the 6th (Korea Standard Time) and won 1-0. Since September, the team has entered the Asian Cup finals as it has won seven consecutive games without allowing a single goal.
Korea was included in Group E of the Asian Cup. Starting with the first group match against Bahrain on Jan. 15, Korea will compete with Jordan on Jan. 20 and Malaysia on Jan. 25 for advance to the knockout stage. The goal of this year’s Asian Cup championship is definitely to win. Korea has not won the Asian Cup trophy for 64 years since it won the first championship in 1956 and the second championship in 1960. The best result at the championship is the runner-up. 온라인카지노
Klinsmann chose an unconventional rotation ahead of the final rehearsal for the Asian Cup. Oh Hyun-kyu was placed in the one-top position, while Jung Woo-young, Hong Hyun-suk, Hwang In-beom, Park Yong-woo and Lee Jae-sung played at the waist. Four backs were Lee Ki-je, Jung Seung-hyun, Kim Young-kwon and Seol Young-woo, while Kim Seung-gyu wore goalie gloves.
Two minutes after the kickoff whistle, Korea faced a point loss. It instantly exposed the space behind the scenes to Iraq and allowed the team to shoot. Afterwards, the team failed to make clean clearance. Had it not been for goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu’s defense, the team could have lost early in the game.
After escaping from crisis once, Korea attempted to build up with a short pass. He grabbed the ball from the side and tried to make the most of the midfield to play a one-two pass. Iraq took a defensive formation with the situation where it was somewhat lowered. Jung Woo-young attempted to shoot through a lobbed pass stabbed by Park Yong-woo in the ninth minute of the second half, but was caught offside.
South Korea tried to boldly pressure Iraq to cut off the ball when it caught the ball. Iraq also tried to relieve pressure by turning the ball quite leisurely, but tended to focus on long balls. The two teams continued their exploratory battle by focusing on the rear build-up.
Iraq continued its free kick from a long distance into a set piece in the 14th minute of the first half. Rashid penetrated into the right space to receive a ball that fell into the box after a long ball. He stepped quickly, but he was in the arms of goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu.
After the free kick set piece, Iraq tried to find a way to attack from the side. However, it failed to generate significant opportunities. Even in the corner kick set piece, the team failed to record effective shooting due to being blocked by Korean defense.
Korea gradually found its attacking tempo. In the 19th minute of the first half, Jung Woo-young got a cross from Seol Young-woo and changed his direction with his head, but it was the front of the goalkeeper. Starting with the left-side full-back Lee Ki-je, midfielder Ji-won played a pass game, but the Plan B combinations have not yet turned perfectly.
After Lee Ki-je’s cross in the 23rd minute of the first half, Oh Hyun-gyu’s penetration was fierce. Oh Hyun-gyu, who captured the falling point well, fell back and shot a direct shot, but he fell into the goalkeeper’s arms. Lee Ki-je did not play properly for his team (Suwon Samsung Bluewings) since September, but it was quite a light workout on the day.
When Iraq staged a tight defense, the Korean team quickly switched to the opposite direction to seek a loophole. From the right, Seol boldly advanced to increase the number of attacks, and attempted a low cross. When there was space in and out of the box, the Korean team players aimed at the Iraqi net with bold shots.
In the 29th minute of the first half, he also hit the right side with a fast one-two pass, shaking the Iraqi defense. Oh Hyun-kyu shook the net, but it was not recognized as a score because a foul was declared in the previous situation.
In general, Korea took the initiative in attacking and attacked, but there was no scene that would make people appalled by Iraq. The team had to make more detailed use of the small space. When Korea caught the ball, Iraq quickly rushed to counterattack after reserve. In the 35th minute of the first half, Lee Jae-seong poked a pass through the back space to Oh Hyun-kyu to create an opportunity to shoot, but the ball ended up being too high.
South Korea went through the build-up step by step from the back. Kim Young-kwon sprayed the ball to the side and served as the rear commander. Lee Jae-sung scored the first goal in the 40th minute of the first half when he supplied a sharp pass from the waist. He shook the net with an accurate left-footed shot in front of the penalty box, scoring his 10th A-match goal.
However, Iraq immediately made a counterattack to appall the Korean people. The team quickly penetrated large background areas of aggressive Korea, creating a 1:1 match with the goalie. It was a dizzying situation in which players could have lost points if their shots were slightly detailed.
In the first half, Korea took a one-goal lead to gain the upper hand. In the first half, he recorded 55 percent of the ball possession rate. The number of shots was ahead with a score of 8 to 3, and effective shooting was also twice that of Iraq with a score of 4 to 2. There were no corner kicks, but Iraq alone recorded three. On the other hand, Korea recorded three offside as it led the attack.
Manager Klinsman launched Plan A in the second half. Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan, Kim Min-jae and Cho Kyu-sung formed the best. Iraq also made a change to the ground as a substitute. The quality of the Korean attack changed when the best including Son Heung-min came in. Cho Kyu-sung tried a fierce shot near the box, which cooled the Iraqi blood.
South Korea got its first corner kick in the third minute of the second half. Lee Kang-in then grabbed the ball from the right side and tried to dribble, but failed to beat Iraq’s defense. Iraq tried to make intermittent counterattacks but failed to advance due to South Korean pressure and defense.
Lee Kang-in gently received Kim Young-kwon’s long pass in the 5th minute of the second half and attempted a strong early cross. Iraq put a through pass in the Korean camp, but Kim Min-jae cleared it neatly. Kim Min-jae’s introduction increased the weight in the back and became solid, unlike the first half.
Iraq attempted to attack again after the corner kick, but was caught offside. Hwang In-beom grabbed the ball and tried to distribute the ball from his waist, but the two men tried to pressure him to steal the ball. However, Korea soon regained control by bringing the ball.
However, Korea’s pressure intensity dropped from its waist. Iraq attempted a through pass, aiming at the gap between Korea and Korea. The striker ran around the front, creating a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper as much as possible and making all-out efforts to score an equalizer.
Korea sent the ball to the Iraqi camp with an early cross that moved up to an early stage. The Iraqi team hurriedly cleared the ball, which could have resulted in an own goal. Korea sought additional goal with corner kicks, but Cho Kyu-sung and Kim Min-jae rushed in and fought for an aerial ball.
The Korean pass pattern was much faster than in the first half. Plan A players, who had been in sync, organically shifted positions after the one-two pass. Lee boldly tried to pass the ball near the box by overlapping, but he was not threatening. Lee Kang-in tried to advance by holding the ball from the right side in the 17th minute of the second half. However, he was caught in Iraqi defense due to long ball trapping.
The tide quickly turned into a lull. Iraq counterattacked with a through pass early in the second half, but maintained defensive form as it approached the middle. At 20 minutes in the second half, Son tried to dig into the box quickly to have a chance to shoot, but fell into the hands of the opposing goalkeeper. However, as the penalty kick (PK) was not declared, the team failed to have a decisive opportunity.
Klinsmann replaced Kim with the sixth replacement card. Iraq also responded by using substitution in the bench. When Iraq seized the ball, the South Korean team attempted to pressure the Iraqis, and cut the ball early. Iraq tried to find a way to attack from the sidelines, but failed to approach the South Korean side as expected. South Korea did not leave loopholes in Iraq due to its tight 4-4-2 formation.
South Korea changed its direction smoothly around Kim Min-jae even when Iraq put forward pressure. Iraq tried to stop the Korean attack with radical tackles, but it was not easy. The Korean attack gradually became more and more right as the second half passed. He showed his willingness to finish the game perfectly by scoring an additional goal.
Hwang Hee-chan collided with the opponent in the 26th minute of the second half and complained of pain. Fortunately, however, it was not a serious injury. Later, Cho tried to shoot through an early cross, but the first touch was a little long. Iraq attempted a cross only once in the 28th minute of the second half, but it was inaccurate and had to be satisfied with hitting the side net.
South Korea centered its attack on Lee Kang-in. In the 30th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min saved the ball from the end of the box and attempted a cutback. He then tried to shoot at the empty net, but failed to shake the net due to the Iraqi defense. Lee Kang-in’s accurate cross from the corner hit Cho Kyu-sung’s head, but it missed the goal slightly, so he swallowed his regret.
The Korean attack intensified, and Cho sincerely pressed forward in the ninth position as well. The frequency of attacks also increased, putting pressure on Iraqi defenders. In the 34th minute of the second half, an Iraqi goal kick came to the Korean side at once, allowing a counterattack, but the Korean defense quickly returned to block the path of shooting.
Hwang Hee-chan shook Iraq with a daredevil breakthrough from the side. Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in aimed for additional goals in the box, aiming for a chance to catch a glimpse. South Korea constantly pressured Iraq until the last minute of the second half and increased the frequency of shooting.
The game went without a variable, but Lee Kang-in was sent off. With six minutes left in the regular time, there was a war of nerves during a ball fight with the opponent and a physical fight. The referee ordered Lee Kang-in to leave with accumulated red cards of warnings.
The extra time was three minutes. Korea faced Iraq due to its inferiority in number. Although the team allowed several shots to Iraq, it maintained concentration until the end. The team well organized the extra time until one minute, and the game ended in a victory for Korea.
Klinsmann took the helm to replace Bento after the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Since then, the team has been holding exhibition matches since March, but the flow was not good until the first match in September. Even though he had most European players, including Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan, he could not win for five games. He failed to win for the longest period of time among foreign coaches.
Cho Gyu-seong scored and won the match against Saudi Arabia in six matches, the second warm-up match in September. After the warm-up match in September, the Korean team’s firepower gradually increased and settled on a winning streak. After defeating Tunisia 4-0 in an warm-up match in October, the team beat Vietnam 6-0 and secured a 3-0 win at an away match in China after beating Singapore 5-0 in November in the second qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup North and Central America.
He had no loss in seven matches (five consecutive wins) and only gave one run. He became a top-class player with the win in 33 years last season, and built a solid defense line centering on Kim Min-jae, who transferred to Bayern Munich this summer.
After the North and Central America World Cup, the team has started its final phase of winning the Asian Cup. Klinsmann met with “Spotv News” in Singapore in November to talk about the Asian Cup. When asked about winning consecutive A matches, he said, “It was important to see how the players showed in my team and whether they adjusted well to the team atmosphere that the team created. They showed good performance and concentration in the matches against Tunisia and Vietnam. Now it is the actual match. The World Cup qualifying round and the Asian Cup will take place. We did not bring much change because it was a time for continuity and continuity.”
This is why only a few players were tested on the big scale. “The process of forming a team requires time. Players must understand each other well on the field. As players work together, we become stronger. In particular, Lee Kang-in has emerged as a completely different player this season. Even at a young age, he has become a world-class prospect. Seol Young-woo has shown great growth. The core line is being created. The right side is Seol Young-woo, the central defense is Kim Min-jae, and the left side is Lee Ki-je. The center is using Park Yong-woo. He will firmly protect the defense line. Hwang had been worried until June, but he moved to Tsurvena Zvezda and has been active in the Champions League. On the side and in the center are Jung Woo-young, Hwang Hee-chan, Oh Hyun-kyu, and Son Heung-min.
This is why there has been no significant change in the final list of 26 players at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall located in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on December 28 last year. Except for young players such as Kim Ji-soo (Brentford), he took most of the main players he had used since his first appointment to the Asian Cup.
There have also been unexpected changes. Hwang Ui-jo, who was competing with Cho Kyu-sung in the ninth position, has not been able to join the national team since October. The reason was a video of sexual intercourse that exploded on social networking services in June last year. A, who claimed to have met Hwang Ui-jo as a lover, spread Hwang Ui-jo’s videos and photos on the Internet, saying, “I have formed relationships with many women. I gaslighted them and harmed them.”
Hwang Ui-jo said, “When I was in Greece, my mobile phone was stolen, and I was threatened by a blackmailer to distribute video clips of my mobile phone.” He also demanded a stern response, saying, “If we find the culprit who leaked the video, we will take strong legal action without any leniency.”
Things have changed, however, since the “A” match in October. She has changed from a victim whose personal life was revealed to a victim on charges of illegal filming. In the summer, she visited the police station as a victim, but this time, she had to be questioned as a victim.
The police switched to the status of a suspect in the process of investigating and tracking videos and distributors related to Hwang Ui-jo. Judging that it was an illegal filming charge under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, Hwang Ui-jo was called to question its authenticity. The victim’s legal representative strongly insisted on illegal filming, taking a new turn.
Hwang claimed that the video was agreed upon through his legal representative, Daehwan, a law firm. Hwang Ui-jo said, “This video is from a personal mobile phone that was lost in Greece in November 2022. It is clear that the video was agreed upon between the couple. Hwang Ui-jo does not have any video at the moment. He has never leaked it. The latest video leaked personal conversations, including videos. Threateners are threatening Hwang Ui-jo with videos and private conversations. I have deep regret and great responsibility for my past lover who was damaged.”
The victim’s side stepped up to Hwang Ui-jo’s argument. Lee Eun-ui, a lawyer representing the law firm, said, “I have never agreed to film a video with Hwang Ui-jo. He expressed his dislike and wished to delete it immediately after the shooting. There were requests for the victim’s rejection and deletion, but Hwang Ui-jo ignored the request. Illegal filming was repeated and there were times when I was not aware of the shooting itself during the investigation. Hwang Ui-jo contacted the victim and informed her to ‘ sue the distributor’ in order to catch the distributor quickly. After much consideration, he officially sued the police for illegal distribution of the distributor and illegal filming of Hwang Ui-jo. The victim was embarrassed, but he had to think about the possibility of additional damage if he could not catch the distributor.”
There were concerns about secondary damage during the truth battle. Hwang Ui-jo said, “The other person is a public figure who is a public figure who is active in broadcasting and is even married. He refrained from taking official action to prevent the identity of the woman as much as possible. I tried to reveal the truth through a strict investigation by the investigative agency,” but public sentiment arose that the victim exposed some of her personal information.
Hwang Ui-jo returned to England after finishing his national team schedule. However, the news spread to England as it was such a big issue. Since then, the Korea Football Association has held a meeting centering on the association’s key executives, including chairmen of the ethics committee, the fair committee, and the national team’s power enhancement committee.
After more than an hour and a half of meeting, ethics committee Chairman Lee Yun-nam said, “There is a legal battle over whether the crime is true or not, and the case is under investigation. The association cannot predict and conclude the situation of Hwang Ui-jo. However, the national team has great morality and responsibility. As a player representing a national team, he is in a position to manage himself and not to do anything that could damage the national team’s reputation. The team took into account the fact that Hwang Ui-jo is under investigation as a suspect in the case under investigation, which makes it difficult to play as a national team member, and that soccer fans’ expectations for the national team have risen. We judged it inappropriate to select Hwang Ui-jo as a member of the national team,” and decided to temporarily remove him from the national team.
Since Hwang Ui-jo’s provisional disqualification from the national team, he has focused on selecting a new striker. The center of gravity has shifted to Joo Min-gyu (Ulsan HD), who was the top scorer for two consecutive seasons in the K-League. Joo played as a top-class striker in the Korean league, but he had no relationship with the national team.
There was a possibility of Joo Min-kyu being selected, but Klinsmann did not decide to reinforce additional strikers. In fact, there was no Ju Min-gyu in the domestic call-up training in December, which was the last line to be deployed to the domestic team. He set up the final roster for the Asian Cup by choosing to reinforce one more player in another position instead of Joo Min-gyu.
After the announcement of the final roster, some of them conducted indoor training at hotels near Seoul. Coach Werner Roytard and Lee Jae-hong continued their training sessions, checking the team’s physical condition and fatigue through weight training and conditioning. Cho Kyu-sung and Hwang In-beom also came to Korea for winter break.
The Asian Cup team was completed on Saturday. Some players, including Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan, joined the team immediately there. The Premier Leaguers entered the Abu Dhabi camp in the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 2 after finishing their 20th round schedules.
Lee Kang-in came to the training site for the Korean national team after playing in the French Super Cup. Manager Klinsmann readily accepted Lee’s request to play in the French Super Cup, which is the first game of the new year. Lee scored the finisher and drove a fantastic bicycle kick to lead the team to a 2-0 victory at Paris Saint-Germain, and was named the MOM of the most valuable player in the official match.
The match against Iraq was an official warm-up match a day after the team was formed as a whole. The Korean team is united to win the first Asian Cup trophy in 64 years. “As you all know, our team’s offense is very firepowerful. We are scoring goals almost every game. We need to focus a little more on the defense. There will be many matches that we lead, so we have to keep that in mind. The goal is to win the Asian Cup.”
Lee Jae-sung, a German Bundesliga player, also said, “I think this is our chance to win the title. This challenge is a great motivation for us. We haven’t won the Asian Cup trophy for 64 years. I will play with confidence and not be as proud as many people expect. I will do my best every day. I will try my best to win the Asian Cup, which is my ultimate goal.”
As the Korean players are determined to win the title for the first time in 64 years, they might feel pressured. However, they are committed to everything by changing the pressure into confidence. “I don’t feel pressured,” Lee Jae-seong said when asked by reporters. “It gives me great strength to be able to receive high expectations and cheers from the fans. I know it gives me motivation. We also received such support at the last World Cup in Qatar. Expectations are higher than pressure,” he said with a smile.