Despite the 9-0 victory in the first game of the Asian Games, it is impossible to let down your guard. In the tournament five years ago, we went through a crisis with a huge win in the first game and then a loss in the second game, so in this tournament, we have to go into the second game with all our heart.
The Asian Games national team led by coach Hwang Seon-hong will play the second match of Group E of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games men’s soccer group against Thailand at the Jinhua Sports Center Stadium in Jinhua, China at 8:30 pm on the 21st (Korean time). Thailand and Bahrain tied 1-1, sharing one point each, and Sun-Hong Hwang won 9-0 against Kuwait the previous day after scoring as many as 9 goals, moving up to first place in the group.
Until the game against Kuwait, questions about Hwang Sun-Hong continued. After losing 0-3 to Japan in the quarterfinals at last year’s U-23 Asian Cup due to rigid tactics and performance, more and more people are doubting whether Hwang Seon-hong will be able to perform well at the Asian Games as well.
The Asian Games is a competition where military service is at stake, which can be the biggest variable in an athlete’s life. Winning an Olympic medal can solve the problem of military service, but realistically, winning a gold medal in the Asian Games, which is considered a step below the Olympics where powerful teams from around the world participate, is an easy goal. Therefore, it was important to win a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games for the future of Korean soccer.
However, after losing to Japan in the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup, until the two-game series away to China last June, Hwang Seon-hong failed to show performance worthy of the team aiming for the Asian Games gold medal. As his team failed to utilize the players who were performing well, questions about his leadership and tactical direction increased.
In the game against Kuwait, which took place amidst many concerns, Hwang Seon-hong allayed the concerns by scoring a large number of goals. Hwang Seon-Hong, who took the lead in the first 3 minutes thanks to a goal by Jeong Woo-young (Stuttgart), took the lead 4-0 with relay goals from Cho Young-wook (Gimcheon Sangmu), Baek Seung-ho (Jeonbuk Hyundai), and Jeong Woo-young in the first half alone. In the second half, starting with Jung Woo-young’s goal, Eom Won-sang (Ulsan Hyundai), Jo Young-wook, Park Jae-yong (Jeonbuk Hyundai), and Ahn Jae-jun (Bucheon) added goals to achieve a 9-0 victory.
Assuming that the team will advance to the round of 16, a multiple-score victory is obviously very meaningful. However, that does not mean that the second game can be played comfortably. If they lose in the second game, they could be pushed to the brink of elimination like the Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang five years ago.
The national team, which led the competition with an ultra-luxurious attacking team including Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), Hwang Ui-jo (then Gamba Osaka), Hwang Hee-chan (then Salzburg), and Lee Seung-woo (then Hellas Verona), lost with Hwang Ui-jo’s hat trick in the first match against Bahrain in the group stage. Won 6-0.
However, they suffered a shocking 1-2 loss against Malaysia in the second game. Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, Hwang Ui-jo, and Kim Min-jae played as starters, but were dragged out by conceding two goals first. Hwang Ui-jo narrowly avoided defeat with a consolation goal in the 43rd minute of the second half, but depending on the result of the third game, elimination from the group stage could have been possible.
In the end, as they passed the group stage in second place, they had to face teams that were expected to compete for the gold medal with Korea early on, such as against Iran in the round of 16 and against Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals.온라인카지노
The national team could also be intoxicated by the 9-0 win and then suffer a blow against Thailand. What director Hwang Seon-hong is most wary of is pride. Coach Hwang said in a press conference after the game, “I want to tell you to have confidence but forget everything. We need more preparation and determination to go to a higher place.”
It is also important to keep in mind that Kuwait came to this tournament with its strength greatly weakened, instead of its splendid glory, such as winning medals at the Asian Games in the past. Thailand or Bahrain may be better than Kuwait.
Attention is being paid to whether Hwang Seon-hong, who is concentrating on maintaining concentration based on the lessons learned five years ago, will be able to achieve his second consecutive win in the match against Thailand.