Lee Kang-in, who started in the game against Peru, showed world-class dignity. The technical football in midfield, along with Hong Hyun-seok, who was replaced in the second half, was enough to thrill the fans.
The Korean national football team, led by coach Klinsman, lost 0-1 to Peru in a friendly match for the national team invited by Hana Bank held at Busan Asiad Main Stadium at 8:00 pm on the 16th. Klinsman Ho will play his second match against El Salvador at the World Cup Stadium in Daejeon on the 20th.
There were quite a few changes to the player lineup due to various circumstances, such as Son Heung-min sitting on the bench in the aftermath of an injury and Kim Min-jae unable to participate in the evaluation match due to military training. Park Ji-soo and Jung Seung-hyun played as a starting centerback duo, and players who were difficult to see in the national team such as Ahn Hyun-beom and Won Doo-jae started as a starter. South Korea suffered throughout. Despite the away game, the Peruvian players looked good. The intense forward pressure embarrassed the Korean players, and after taking the ball, they sharply aimed at the goal with a detailed build-up.스포츠토토
In the end, Peru’s Brian Reina scored the first goal in the 11th minute. After conceding a goal, Korea showed improvement as they reorganized their defense and tactics, but their ability to score goals at the goal was disappointing. The Korean national team, which had been in a hurry for decisive scoring opportunities, tried to launch a last-minute offensive in the second half, but their sharpness fell. Peru was stronger than expected and was well prepared. On the other hand, Korea showed a dull performance, giving the impression that the sum of the selected players was not yet well matched.
Despite the dull performance, Lee Kang-in showed an ‘ace’ level of activity. When the detailed play was not done well, Lee Kang-in gave up a pass and a cross while stripping one or two people with his individual ability. After the game, coach Klinsman praised Lee Kang-in, saying, “When Lee Kang-in catches the ball, the opponent plays cooperative defense. It is fun to see Lee Kang-in play.” Of course, Klinsman also indirectly mentioned Lee Kang-in’s shortcomings, saying, “Lee Kang-in is a good player, but he cannot bring victory alone.”
However, this proves that only Klins has high expectations for ‘Ace’ Lee Kang-in. And as all the fans felt, Lee Kang-in proved that his skills were already at a fairly high level in the game against Peru.
Lee Kang-in struggled like this, but the overall performance of the Korean players was not good. In the middle of the second half, when Korea’s offensive power, which seemed to be in heavy physical condition, was not recovering properly, Hong Hyun-seok appeared on the pitch. Hyeon-seok Hong, whose birthday is on June 16, made his ‘birthday A-match debut’ against Peru on this day. Convened for the first time this time, he is a member of KAA Gent, Belgium in the 2022-2023 season, and is receiving great attention as he recorded 9 goals and 8 assists in 54 official games. Entering the stadium, Hong Hyun-seok began to carry the ball with his unique amount of activity, just as he said he admired Park Ji-sung. The controlled ball stuck to his feet and his dribble was precise. It was a short time, but Hong Hyun-seok proved his technical competence.
When Lee Kang-in and Hong Hyun-seok played together, synergy was demonstrated. The two players tried to attack by exchanging elaborate short passes, and their detailed ball control posed a threat to the opponent. With the addition of Hwang In-beom, the existing national team representative technician, there was even a feeling that the original color of Korean soccer was changing. Although it was short-lived, the combination of the three players was a ‘technical football’ that could not be found in ruggedness, and it was enough to have expectations that Korean football would be able to challenge new areas in the future.
Lee Kang-in is completely on track. Lee Kang-in, who has grown rapidly this season, also started as a starter for the national team and played an active role as the brightest player in the team. Hong Hyun-seok still has a lot left to show. He only played 30 minutes in this match. In the future, if he shows good performance in his team and is consistently selected for the national team, it will surely be of great help to Korean soccer. It’s always nice to see a new tech show up. Can the two players grow side by side and bring a new wind of technology soccer to Korean soccer?