3-0 complete victory. The “Tiger of Asia” Korean soccer team achieved a landslide victory in an away match in Thailand. It relieved some of the disappointment caused by the failure to win the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qatar Asian Cup and the draw at its home game against Thailand on Sunday. However, I was nervous. It was regrettable that the team revealed its continuous problems again.
At the 2023 Asian Cup, Korea scored the first goal but had a difficult time ending its win. The team scored first from the first match against Bahrain (3-1 win), but struggled due to the opponent team’s attack. They scored first but were hit by an equalizer, and played the game nervously. Strangely, they failed to keep the lead well and handed over the lead to the opponent team. The same pattern was observed in the second group match against Jordan (2-2 draw) and the third group match against Malaysia (3-3 draw).
He made his head tilt as he struggled despite the lead against teams that considered him a step down. Such problems were again revealed at a home game against Thailand on Sunday. Son Heung-min scored the first goal at the end of the first half, but gave up the equalizer in the middle of the second half due to lack of concentration in defense. He launched offensives again, but failed to break through Thailand’s dense defense and drew 1-1.
In an away match against Thailand on the 26th, he almost followed his lead. Lee Jae-sung scored the first goal in the 19th minute of the first half, but he was on the defensive as he easily received the opponent’s attack again. He made a fatal error in a throw-in situation and almost gave up the equalizer. Cho Hyun-woo blocked the shot with his amazing reflexes, but it made me feel appalled. In this atmosphere, he was pushed back by Thailand’s attack, and Cho did not give up his last defense line by operating “Bit Hyun-woo mode.” 유흥알바
It is not a good thing that the goalkeeper continues to shine against a team one step below. It is an uncomfortable situation that is difficult to understand easily. When scoring the first goal and taking the lead, it was necessary to manage the game and concentrate so that the opponent could take advantage of the aggressive part and score additional points. It was the same at the 2023 Asian Cup, but when it was winning, the game got worse, leaving a deep regret.
After several “inconvenient” saves by Cho Hyun-woo, South Korea scored to boost the winning atmosphere. Son Heung-min, who received Lee Kang-in’s pass in the 9th minute of the second half, scored his second goal with a great individual skill and shot. In the 37th minute of the second half, he drew a wedge with an exquisite set piece in the corner kick attack. Kim Min-jae dropped Kim Jin-soo’s cross with a header from a tremendously high RBI, and Park Jin-seop finished with a fierce shot.
One of the conditions for a strong team is “strength to keep it.” The power to stay ahead, maintain a relaxed lead, and run away more when the opportunity arises. Though it was overshadowed by a landslide 3-0 victory, the Korean national team seems to lack such power. This is why Cho’s brilliant defense was uncomfortable.