‘Three consecutive losses’ Myeong-woon played in Korea and Japan… Hwang Seon-hong’s fate is at stake in the ‘finals’, everything is on the line

The Asian Games men’s soccer team, led by coach Hwang Seon-hong, will play the final against Japan in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games at the Huanglong Sports Center in Hangzhou, China at 9 p.m. on the 7th (Korean time). It’s the last battle.

Seonhongho Hwang competes for the gold medal with Japan in the final for the second consecutive time. Five years ago, in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Tournament, after a close overtime match, Lee Seung-woo (Suwon FC) and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) won 2-1 with consecutive goals. The opponent’s record is tight with 7 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses.

However, in last year’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup, the national team lost 0-3 to Japan. Due to this defeat, Coach Hwang directly apologized through the Korea Football Association. At that time, Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Hong Hyun-seok (KAA Gent), Jo Young-wook (Gimcheon Managing Director), and Ko Young-jun (Pohang Steelers) played against Japan.무지개토토

Seon-Hong Hwang attempts to win the competition for the third time in a row. She cruised to the quarterfinals with near-perfect offense and defense balance. The semifinal match against Uzbekistan, which was called the ‘de facto final’, ended 2-1 without overtime. He gave up the lead due to Uzbekistan’s offensive attack with strength and physicality, but kept the game up by one goal until the end.

However, the key is whether Eom Won-sang (Ulsan Hyundai), who collapsed while clutching his ankle due to a rough tackle by Uzbekistan in the middle of the second half, will play. Eom Won-sang was carried by the support staff and left the mixed zone. The roles of Jung Woo-young (Stuttgart) and Song Min-gyu (Jeonbuk Hyundai), who will replace Eom Won-sang, are expected to be important.

In particular, Jung Woo-young is showing peak scoring ability. He added 2 goals in the match against Uzbekistan and is first in scoring with 7 goals. He is one step closer to becoming the top scorer. The second-highest scorer was Saudi Arabian striker Maran Mohammad Kahlil (5 goals), but Saudi Arabia was eliminated in the quarterfinals. Japan’s top scorer in the finals is Kotaro Uchino, but he has only three goals.

Japan, the team the national team faces in the finals, had all its players born in the 2000s in this tournament. The goal is not the Asian Games, but the ‘generation’ preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics to be held next year. However, this is not an opponent to be taken lightly. Although he is young, his passing play that utilizes Japan’s unique space clearly stands out. Japan also scored 25 goals in 6 games until the semifinals, boasting a strong performance by only conceding 2 goals.

Captain Baek Seung-ho of Hwang Seon-hong was also wary of Japan. He said, “Although Japan is made up of young players, their organizational skills and structure are excellent. You must not let down your guard. “They say it’s not the best power, but I don’t think so,” he said, without letting down his nerves.

There is no place to retreat. It is a mountain that must be overcome to win three games in a row. Above all, not only the gold medal but also the ‘pride’ of Korean soccer is at stake as it is a match between Korea and Japan. The players all said, “We waited for the Korea-Japan match to happen. “This is a game we cannot afford to lose,” he said. Baek Seung-ho said, “The team atmosphere is very good. The unified goal is clear. I think I’m more motivated because it’s a Korea-Japan game. The whole team feels the same way. The team seems to be becoming stronger. There is no time to think that it is difficult, and it is not difficult. “I will risk everything,” he pledged to win.

Coach Hwang, who emphasized ‘composure’ throughout the competition and was concerned about being ‘off guard,’ made a clear decision to participate after confirming advancement to the finals. He said, “We have the last game left until our third consecutive loss, and I will give it my all. The determination in the finals is to win regardless of the reason. “I will work together with the players to win the gold medal,” he said emphatically.