2024-03-22 22:00:00
Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in of the national soccer team. /News1 © News1 Reporter Minji Kim
The Korean national soccer team is having difficulty getting out of the dark tunnel. In order to escape the continued downturn, Son Heung-min (Tottenham), the ‘captain’ and ‘ace’ of the national team, and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who plays a large part in the team’s strength, must join forces.
The Korean national soccer team, led by interim head coach Hwang Seon-hong, will play the 4th match of Group C of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asia Region 2nd qualifying round against Thailand at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand at 9:30 p.m. on the 26th.
In the third group match against Thailand held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 21st, Korea struggled and drew 1-1 due to the opponent’s strong pressure and momentary counterattack. The problems that appeared under former manager Jurgen Klinsmann did not improve.
The problem is that the conditions for the fourth game against Thailand are not better. Thailand’s average temperature is close to 35 degrees and the humidity is high, making it a difficult environment for players to adapt to. To make matters worse, they also have to contend with the one-sided cheering of 50,000 spectators in Thailand.
It is a difficult expedition, so expectations are high on the two stars, Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in.
Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in of the national soccer team. /News1 © News1 Reporter Min Kyung-seok
The two boasted great chemistry last year. There was no Asian team that could stop the combination of Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, whose skills are recognized even on the European stage. With these two players at the forefront, Korea scored a total of 14 goals in the first and second group matches against Singapore and China in November, starting with a friendly match against Vietnam in October last year.
In three games, Son Heung-min scored four goals, including a header from Lee Kang-in’s cross, and Lee Kang-in scored two goals. Although it did not lead to a goal, there were several threatening scenes where Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in exchanged 2-on-1 passes and utilized space.
The two, who came together again after clashing during the Asian Cup, played together for a short period of time in the match against Thailand and created a decisive opportunity.
Although it did not lead to a goal, at the end of the game, Lee Kang-in made a sharp pass to Son Heung-min who was penetrating into space, breaking Thailand’s defense for a moment. After the game, they held each other’s arms, encouraged each other, and publicly announced that their relationship had been restored.
In order to recover Korea’s frustrating performance, the combination play of Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in is desperately needed. If the two of them win the match against Thailand, the national team will be able to bounce back. In addition, it can silence the noise surrounding the two.
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