Korea overcome early defensive slip up to draw 1-1 with New Zealand

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Korea overcome early defensive slip up to draw 1-1 with New Zealand

Published: 15 Nov. 2022, 16:27

[KFA]

The Korean national women’s football team drew 1-1 with New Zealand in the second of two friendlies in Christchurch on Tuesday, with Park Ye-eun tying the score in the second half after a defensive mistake put the Taeguk Ladies behind early on.

Korea fell behind in the 13th minute at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch when 38-year-old veteran goalkeeper Kim Jung-mi mishit a back pass, scuffing the ball and sending it straight to New Zealand’s Olivia Chance. Chance didn’t miss her chance, knocking it home to take the score to 1-0.

Park leveled the playing field in the 57th minute, but Korea’s Son Hwa-yeon missed the chance to put the Taeguk Ladies ahead with a missed penalty in the 85th minute.

Korea was playing without talismanic double-act Ji So-yun and Cho So-hyun, as well as national team regular Jeon Eun-ha. Jeon is out with a back injury, while Ji is undergoing surgery on an ankle injury. Cho was also excluded from the call up to allow her to rest during the international break.

While former Chelsea star Ji and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Cho were both out, Korea still had some serious fire power in the form of Park and Lee Geum-min, both of whom play for Super League side Brighton and Hove Albion.

Korea beat New Zealand 1-0 in the opening game last week. Lee Min-a of the Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels provided the sole goal in that game in the 31st minute.

The two friendlies act as important tune-up opportunities for the Korean squad ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand.

Korea qualified for the 2023 World Cup after beating Australia 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the AFC Asian Cup earlier this year. Australia was the highest-ranked team in the tournament, standing at No. 11 at the time and seven spots above Korea.

Korea is in Group H alongside world No. 3 Germany, No. 76 Morocco and No. 27 Colombia. While Korea is the second-highest ranked country in Group H, Germany is an opponent that will be difficult to match.

No. 76 Morocco will make their first appearance at the Women's World Cup next year and is set to become the first Arab nation to compete in the tournament.

With Germany expected to advance and Morocco expected to struggle, Korea’s first group stage match against No. 27 Colombia on July 25 could essentially decide who will get to stay and who will be sent home.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]