The national team coach Paulo Bento (center) is giving training orders to players at the Nippas Mitsuzawa Stadium in Yokohama, Japan on the 23rd, ahead of one day. Provided by the Korean Football Association
The Korean soccer team’s coach Paulo Bento (52), who is ahead of Sookmyung’s Korea-Japan match, threw a ballot saying, “There are various problems, such as Son Heung-min not being able to join, but I will prepare as much as possible and get good results.”
The national team will play an away evaluation match against Japan at 7:20 pm on the 25th at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Japan. The friendly match between Korea and Japan is 10 years after the Sapporo (0-3 defeat) match in August 2011. However, in this convocation, the majority of overseas league players, including captain Son Heung-min (29, Tottenham) and Hwang Eui-jo (29, Bordeaux), the core of the attack, and Hwang Hee-chan (25, Leipzig), were due to the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19). Couldn’t join.
In this regard, Bento said at an online press conference on the 24th, “Son Heung-min did not come due to injuries, and Hwang Hee-chan could not come due to the corona quarantine regulations in Saxony, Germany. In addition to the two players, there were many players who could not be selected. The preparation for the game was also short,” he expressed regret. Still, “I will do my best to overcome all variables and have a good game. I am expecting that all of our players will do their part.”
The only Europeans who have joined the national team are Kang-in Lee (20, Valencia) and Woo-young Jung (22, Freiburg). “Both are young and are playing in the best leagues in Europe,” said Bento. I don’t have enough time, but I’ll see how I can use it in the game tomorrow.”
In addition, Director Bento said, “I understand and respect the meaning of the rivalry between Korea and Japan. But rather than that, I’ll focus on what our team can do. The first thing to do is to prepare how to tactically solve the game.” “Japan has several advantages. It is a team that counterattacks based on strong pressure. I will prepare for the game by figuring out what points to target.”
Unlike most of the European players from Korea, Japan convened nine European players, including Takumi Minamino (26, Southampton), Maya Yoshida (33, Sampdoria), and Takehiro Domiyasu (23, Bologna). Kim Young-kwon (31, Gamba Osaka), who is playing in the J-League in Japan, cited Minamino as the player to be most alert. He is a player who knows how to score goals.” He said, “Japanese football is very detailed. I will be well aware of the cooperative play or combination and enter the stadium.” Jung Woo-young said, “I made a lot of good scenes while playing with Lee Kang-in since I was a child. Breathing is good. It would be nice if we could play together this time.”
Meanwhile, Japanese national team coach Moriyasu Hajime said, “Korea is a dynamic and aggressive team.”
Choi Dong-soon reporter [email protected]
News directly edited by the Hankook Ilbo can also be viewed on Naver.
