It was a tough first win, and a lucky first goal. Of course, it’s good to get the first win, but we shouldn’t be satisfied with this one goal.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by Jürgen Klinsmann, defeated Saudi Arabia 1-0 at 1:30 a.m. ET on Sept. 13 at St. James’ Park in Newcastle, England, in a September A Match Europe away trial. The win was Klinsmann’s first in six games, bringing his record to one win, three draws and two losses in six matches.
After five games without a win since his appointment, Klinsmann pulled out all the stops to get both a result and a point. Only one change was made from the previous match against Wales, with Hwang Hee-chan starting in place of Hong Hyun-seok, who was away with the Asian Games squad. In a 4-4-2 formation, Son Heung-min and Cho Kyu-sung played up top, Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Jae-sung attacked from the left and right flanks, and Park Yong-woo and Hwang In-beom formed the midfield. The defense was the same. Lee Ki-je, Kim Min-jae, Jung Seung-hyun, and Seol Young-woo, with Kim Seung-kyu in goal.
South Korea dominated the early stages of the game, but goals didn’t come easily. Cho Kyu-sung, Son Heung-min, and Hwang Hee-chan had chances in quick succession, but they were unable to capitalize on them, and their opponents briefly took the lead on a counterattack. After settling down a bit, South Korea opened the scoring with a fine passing play. In the 32nd minute, Lee Jae-sung’s pass was flicked on by Son Heung-min, and Hwang In-beom deftly returned it. The ball rose high above the defense, and Cho Kyu-sung, who was on the doorstep, rattled the net with a header.
Klinsmann didn’t make his first substitution until the 22nd minute of the second half, as the overall energy level dropped. South Korea made several changes, bringing on Hwang Eui-jo, Moon Sun-min, Kang Sang-woo, Oh Hyun-gyu, and Lee Soon-min, but they were unable to revitalize the game and had to settle for a 1-0 win.
The result was a mixed bag. Since taking charge of the South Korean national team, Klinsmann has promised to play attacking soccer using a 4-4-2 formation, but the team has scored just five goals in six games. This is disappointing considering the team has a number of players who are playing in Europe, including Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Jae-sung, and Cho Kyu-sung.
There was more individual play than team play. It was the same against Saudi Arabia. We had a lot of shots, and we had a lot of shots on goal, but it’s hard to say that we dominated the game, especially because our goal-making process wasn’t sharp, and we relied on individual players’ abilities. 소닉카지노
Even the final goal against Saudi Arabia was far from perfect. Hwang In-beom’s pass was a bit long, and a defender cleared it off the line, setting up Cho Kyu-sung perfectly. If it wasn’t for this goal, the first win could have been delayed again, which is why we can’t be satisfied with just one goal.
It was a goal that came with a little bit of luck. Klinsmann was all smiles after the game, but he shouldn’t be satisfied with this one goal, especially against an Asian side that drops their defensive line, and he needs to find a way to make sure that his team plays with a lot more intensity and utilizes his incredible squad of Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan, Cho Kyu-sung, and Lee Jae-sung.