[골닷컴] Reporter Kang Dong-hoon = Klinsmann begins his journey toward the 2026 North and Central America World Cup. While they are determined to make a good first move, breaking through Singapore’s dense defense is considered the ‘biggest key’. Fortunately, the mood is positive due to the recent performance and good condition of the attackers, including captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
The Korean national soccer team, led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany), will play the first match of Group C of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asia 2nd qualifying round against Singapore at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 16th. Klinsmann said, ‘The ball is round. Remembering the adage that “an unexpected surprise can happen at any time,” I am determined to never let down my guard and approach the game with all seriousness and achieve victory.
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It is expected that Singapore will play defensively as it is an away team and is evaluated as one step below in terms of objective strength. There is a strong possibility that the team will lower the line from the start and focus on defense before countering with an attack using counterattacks or set pieces. Naturally, the ‘biggest key’ for Klinsmann is how to attack the dense defense and score early goals.
In fact, captain Son Heung-min said, “If we lower our defense, it will not be easy no matter which team we face. “Whether the game becomes easier or more difficult depends on how early you create opportunities and score,” he said. “After scoring quickly in the early part of the game, you have to play comfortably for the rest of the game.” “If we do that, we will naturally score more goals and be able to win,” he said.
Fortunately, Klinsmann’s outlook is bright as his key strikers are in good condition recently. Expectations are high that he will be able to break through a sufficiently dense defense and achieve a multi-score victory. In fact, since coach Klinsmann took office last March, he has consistently participated in international matches, excluding injuries, and the recent performances of Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Hwang Hee-chan, who are likely to be selected as starters for this game against Singapore, have really improved.
First of all, Son Heung-min has been playing mainly as a front-line striker for Tottenham this season, boasting outstanding scoring ability. He is actually ranked 3rd in the highest scorers in the English Premier League (EPL) with 8 goals (1 assist) in 12 games. This is a fairly fast pace compared to the 2021-2022 season, when he was the top scorer (23 goals). In particular, his expected goals (xG) value is 4.61 goals, showing that he can score goals even in difficult situations.
Lee Kang-in also has a fierce spirit. He is flying high after resolving his military service issue by winning a gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games last month. In fact, after scoring goals in two consecutive games in the October A-match warm-up match (Tunisia and Vietnam), he is performing well, scoring three attack points (two goals, one assist) even after returning to Paris Saint-Germain. Expectations are also rising by focusing on his performance locally.
Hwang Hee-chan, who is free from chronic hamstring injuries, is running without hesitation like his nickname ‘Bull’. He ranks 6th in the top scorers in the EPL, scoring 6 goals (2 assists) in 12 games. In particular, he has attempted only 6 effective shots so far, but he has turned all of them into goals, showing off his amazing decision-making ability. Amid such outstanding performances, he was also selected as Wolverhampton’s Player of the Month for October.
Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Hwang Hee-chan are ‘game changers’ who not only produce attack points but also have the ability to change the flow and pattern of the game at any time. In fact, those with excellent individual skills can collapse defenses through one-on-one breakthroughs and create threatening opportunities with one kill pass. He can play the role of a solver to break through Singapore’s dense defense at any time.
In addition, the front three strikers Oh Hyun-gyu (Celtic), Cho Gyu-seong (Midtjylland), and Hwang Ui-jo (Norwich City) are also in good condition. Oh Hyun-kyu was recently given the opportunity to play and regained his sense of scoring by scoring consecutive goals, and Cho Kyu-seong is also maintaining his sense of real-life performance by playing consistently. At the end of last month, Hwang Ui-jo scored on the European stage for the first time in 566 days. Expectations are also focused on their toes.
2023-11-15 23:56:30
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