Asia-Oceania is not discussed in the same vein as Europe and South America in world soccer. Even African soccer is considered to be higher standard than of Asia. North Korea in 1966 showed a flash of brilliance. Then came South Korea and Japan to establish the credential of the region.
Among the four teams in 2014 world cup__ South Korea, Japan, Australia and Iran__ only South Korea is be expected to go beyond the group stage. Australia will die in the group of death with Spain, Portugal and Chile. Iran can do little in the group with Argentina, Nigeria and Bosnia. Japan is also not expected to do any magic in the group with Colombia, Ivory Coast and Greece. South Korea has to carry the hopes of the most populous and soccer crazy billions of the region.
South Korea’s path to 2014 FIFA world cup was not a bed of roses. The “Tageuk Warriors” having to survive final day scares in the third and fourth rounds to book the ticket of Brazil. If it were not a pair of 96th minute goals, firstly Son Heung–Min against Qatar (to give Korea 2-1) and then Kim Chi–Woo against Lebanon (to escape with a 1-1 draw). Pressure was mounting on Choi Kang–Hee, who was becoming increasingly unpopular for his dull style of play.
After defeating Uzbekistan 1-0 courtesy of an own goal in Seoul, it came down to the final group match against Iran in Ulsan to decide their fate. But once again stumbled, losing 1-0 and only qualified for the FIFA world cup on goal difference ahead of Uzbekistan. Choi Kang–Hee stood down as national coach and was replaced by former national team captain Hong Myung–Bo, who had guided Korea’s Olympic team to bronze in London.
Hong had an immediate impact, introducing new players and a new style, ending their reliance on the long ball to towering strikers Kim Shin–Wook, which was a feature of Choi’s side.
Kim’s height and strength in the air proved a difference in the teams attacking football. It is a work in progress as coach Hong is developing a plan that will allow Korea to overcome their biggest weakness in scoring goals. For the numbers of openings they create only few are converted. Against quality opposition they can not afford this.
It is not lack of talents either. In Son Heung–Min, Lee Keun–Ho, Ji Dong–Won, Kim Shin–Wook and Park Chu-Young, they have more than enough quality.
Son is undoubtedly the golden boy of Korean football after a number of standout seasons in Germany for Hamburg and Bayern Leverkusen. With pace, agility and a powerful shot on either leg, he is close to complete package and at 21 will be leading man for a number of years to come.
Sqaud:
South Korea’s national soccer coach, Hong Myung-bo, has named 17 overseas-based players in his 23-man squad for the World Cup, including nine playing in Germany and the U.K.
Four play in Germany’s Bundesliga and two in the English Premier League although the latter number will be halved within a week as Kim Bok-yung’s team, Cardiff City, has just been relegated to the Football League Championship – the game’s second-tier in England and Wales.
There he will join compatriot Lee Chung-Yong of Bolton Wanderers and perhaps a couple more South Korean players, depending on the play-offs and loan deals. They include Park Chu-young, one of the national squad’s most capped players. Park, 28 years old, is on loan to championship team Watford after failing to have much of an impact at Arsenal. He has 62 caps for South Korea and 24 goals.
South Korea will be making its ninth world cup appearance. As world cup groups go, South Korea’s is relatively easy. It is in Group H with Belgium, Algeria and Russia though those three all rank in the world’s top 25, while South Korea ranks 56th. South Korea’s first game is against Russia in the western Brazilian city of Cuiaba on June 17. Russia beat South Korea 2-1 in a November friendly in Dubai.
Hong can take encouragement from South Korea’s performance at the 2012 Olympics in London, where it won bronze. Teams in Olympic soccer must predominantly feature players under the age of 23, and Hong has gone with a young squad for Brazil. Only one player–defender Kwak Tae-Hwi–is over 30, while seven were born in 1990 or later, including the aptly named Kim Young-Gwon.
Park Jong-woo, who plays for Guangzhou R&F, is also on the squad. The midfielder was banned from the medal ceremony at the 2012 Olympics for making a political statement at the end of the bronze-medal match against Japan. After the 2-0 victory, Park held up a sign claiming South Korean sovereignty over a set of islets known internationally as the Liancourt Rocks, which Japan also claims.
Goalkeepers: Jung Sung-ryong (Suwon Bluewings), Kim Seung-gyu (Ulsan Hyundai), Lee Bum-young (Busan IPark)
Defenders: Kim Jin-su (Albirex Niigata), Kim Young-gwon (Guangzhou Evergrande), Yoon Suk-young (QPR), Hwang Seok-ho (Hiroshima Sanfrecce), Hong Jeong-ho (Augsburg) Kwak Tae-hwi (Al Hilal), Lee Yong (Ulsan Hyundai), Kim Chang-su (Kashiwa Reysol)
Midfielders: Ki Sung-yueng (Sunderland), Ha Dae-sung (Beijing Guoan), Han Kook-young (Kashiwa Reysol), Park Jong-woo (Guangzhou R&F), Kim Bo-kyung (Cardiff City), Lee Chung-yong (Bolton Wanderers), Ji Dong-won (Augsburg), Son Heung-min (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Koo Ja-cheol (FSV Mainz 05), Lee Keun-ho (Sangju Sangmu), Park Chu-young (Watford), Kim Shin-wook (Ulsan Hyundai)
Belgium is the stand out team of Group H. South Korea and Russia will have to fight out for the other spot from the qualifying group. The team that can better control damage against Belgium and score more against the weakest link Algeria will advance from the group.
BDST: 0948 HRS, JUN 04, 2014
