Lee Kang-in’s (Paris Saint-Germain) time has come.
The Asian Games men’s national soccer team, led by coach Hwang Seon-hong, will play the round of 16 against Kyrgyzstan in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games at the Jinhua Sports Center in Zhejiang Province, China, at 8:30 pm on the 27th (Korean time).
Lee Kang-in is a key member of the Asian Games men’s soccer team that is challenging its third consecutive victory. He is so talented that the French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain covets him. Director Hwang Seon-hong has also been waiting for Lee Kang-in to join. The key is Lee Kang-in’s physical condition and his chemistry with his teammates. Lee Kang-in focused on rehabilitation due to a hamstring injury and made his return through the UEFA Champions League against Dortmund (Germany) on the 20th. He is still in the process of improving his practical skills and stamina.
Still, Lee Kang-in completed his ‘warm-up’ by playing 36 minutes in the third group match (Bahrain). “This competition was the first time I worked with (my teammates). Although he said, “I think there are still a lot of things to improve,” Lee Kang-in showed off his unique flashing breakthroughs and dribbling. His national team colleagues also said, “We have to give everything to (Kangin). “It’s definitely different,” he said, actively welcoming his joining and presence.
Hwang Seon-hong’s opponent in the round of 16, Kyrgyzstan, is ranked 96th in the FIFA rankings. In the U-23 age group, the national team is ahead with 2 wins. Five years ago, they met in the group stage of the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Tournament and won 1-0 with Son Heung-min (Tottenham) scoring the final goal. They also met in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup preliminaries held in Changwon last month and won 1-0. However, in the Asian Cup preliminaries, Hwang Seon-hong’s membership was completely different from the current national team.
Kyrgyzstan plays a ‘close defense’ that emphasizes physicality and air superiority. It is highly likely that he will display the so-called ‘five-back’ defense against Hwang Seon-hong. That’s why Lee Kang-in’s role is even more important. In order to break down a dense defense, the quality of flashing passes and side crosses is important. This is because Lee Kang-in is a resource that can do both. The national team boasted fierce firepower, scoring 16 goals in three group stage games. If you are equipped with Lee Kang-in’s ‘Delivery Cross’, there is nothing to be afraid of.
Of course, there are challenges. Lee Kang-in’s search for a partner ‘union’ is expected to continue. It has been more than a year since Lee Kang-in met the national team in a real match. 36 minutes in Game 3 is not enough. In addition to Lee Kang-in, the national team has excellent midfielders.
Director Hwang is expected to give Lee Kang-in a ‘free role’ role that grants him ‘freedom’. This is the role played mainly by Son Heung-min in the adult national team. Although he will be deployed as a second-line central midfielder, Coach Hwang’s plan is to maximize his aggression and creativity. In order to support this, it is necessary to consider not only the second line but also the third line combination.
It is likely that one position will be taken by ‘Captain’ Baek Seung-ho. Baek Seung-ho is also the captain of this national team, and he is showing perfect performance in offense and defense. He boasts a right foot that is hot enough to score two goals already, and he is not only fighting aggressively in defense but also showing off his nerves. That means a lot of responsibility.
Finding the remaining single-digit combination appears to be a concern for Director Hwang. When Baek Seung-ho, who will be in charge of a tight schedule, is missing, we must find the ‘optimal’ method for the midfield combination. Hong Hyun-seok (KAA Gent) and Jeong Ho-yeon (Gwangju FC) will compete for this position. Hong Hyun-seok is another European player and has outstanding attacking talent. He was even called up to the adult national team led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann. However, there is a weakness in defense. On the other hand, Jeong Ho-yeon is the type of person who harasses opponents with a lot of activity and active physical fights. The key is how to combine them well.메이저사이트
This is the start of the full-scale tournament stage. The group stage is already over. From now on, defeat will result in elimination. As Coach Hwang said, the real battle for a third straight victory begins ‘now’.