Hong Myung-bo was complete only two days before the match against Kuwait. The last member to join the team is Son Heung-min (Tottenham), the “captain” who recently returned from an injury. From Hong Myung-bo’s point of view, concerns about the playing time are deepening.
The national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will play the fifth Group B match against Kuwait at the Jabeur Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City, Kuwait, at 11 p.m. on the 14th (Korea time).
Kuwait is a team classified as an underdog in Group B, and it has not won a single game in its previous four matches, ranking fifth among the six teams with three draws and one loss. From a different angle, it is a team that must win because it is underdog.
“People say Kuwait is a weak team, but it is a difficult and important game. It is more important than the schedule in October,” Hong said. “We need to do our best to produce results.” 스포츠토토
In terms of objective power, it is expected that the team’s condition, which is only two days before the showdown, will act as a variable, along with the fact that it is an away game ahead of Kuwait.
According to an official from the Korea Football Association, only 21 out of 26 convened personnel participated in the first local adaptation training held on the 11th local time.
Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) and Lee Hyun-joo (Hanover) arrived in Kuwait during the national team training. Son Heung-min, Seol Young-woo (Zvezda), and Oh Hyun-kyu (Henk), whose team schedule ended the latest, then joined the national team only on the morning of the 12th local time.
As a result, the national team will be able to complete its entire team on Wednesday. Son Heung-min, Seol Young-woo and Oh Hyun-kyu, who arrived in Kuwait on the day, will likely focus on boosting their physical condition through recovery training.
In particular, the national team has no choice but to keep an eye on Son Heung-min’s physical condition.
After injuring his hamstring (muscle behind his thigh) in September, he struggled until October. Coach Hong Myung-bo, who was unable to call up Son due to his injury in October, said ahead of his scheduled call-up in November that he has a basic principle of always protecting Son.
Son Heung-min missed three games after his first injury and returned after the A-match break. However, he felt uncomfortable again, so he could not play three games until the match against Aston Villa on the 3rd.
Even after his return, he played just 55 minutes and 45 minutes in two matches, which led to thorough management by his club. “I don’t want to lose him again. I am trying to maintain my physical condition by monitoring the time I play,” Tottenham manager Enze Postecoglou said.
What eased Hong Myung-bo’s worries was that Son Heung-min played the full 90 minutes in the last game before the call-up. Coach Hong has broadened his options to use Son Heung-min as a variety of cards, including selection and replacement.
The fact that there are many young players who can play in Son Heung-min’s position, including Bae Joon-ho (Stock), who emerged as a surprise star of the national team in October, Jung Woo-young (Woonion Berlin), who returned to the national team after a long time, and Lee Hyun-joo (Hanover), who joined the team, also makes Hong’s choices diverse. Hong needs to closely check not only Son but also the players who can replace him during the rest of the year.
If Hong Myung-bo, who won two games without Son Heung-min in October, successfully arranges Son’s physical strength and sends two consecutive games in November, it is expected to be a great help in the finals beyond the World Cup qualifiers.
