Taeguk Warriors hope to defy all odds against Portugal Friday

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Taeguk Warriors hope to defy all odds against Portugal Friday

Published: 01 Dec. 2022, 17:20 Updated: 01 Dec. 2022, 17:52

Kim Min-jae reacts during a World Cup Group H match between Korea and Ghana at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, on Monday. [NEWS1]

Hwang Hee-chan trains on the field at Al Egla Training Site in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday with the area around his left hamstring taped. He returned to the field to train after skipping out on several days due to hamstring discomfort and missing Korea's first two matches at the 2022 World Cup. [NEWS1]

The Taeguk Warriors are hard-pressed for a win against No. 9 Portugal on Friday. While Portugal heads to the final group stage match having already booked their place in the knockout round, the Korean national team is riddled with injuries.

Korea's defender Kim Min-jae was unable to join training on Wednesday, just two days before Korea's final group stage match against Portugal. Although he did show up for training on Tuesday and rode the stationary bike and stretched, he did not join field training.

"Kim will not join training today with the team but will stay in the hotel to rest and get his injury treated," said a national team staff member on Wednesday.

Kim has been dealing with discomfort in his calf since Korea's first match against Uruguay.

"Kim Min-jae has missed out on training and is resting due to pain from an injury sustained during Korea's match against Uruguay on Thursday," the KFA announced Nov. 26.

In the second half of that match, Kim slipped trying to chase down Darwin Nunez of Uruguay. After laying down on the field in pain, Kim continued to push through the full match, holding Uruguay to a 0-0 draw.

Kim took to the field against worries that he might not be fit enough to play the second match. Even against Ghana on Monday, Kim pushed through to stay on the field for more than 90 minutes, despite raising his hand to indicate that he was not fit enough to finish the last few minutes, and Kwon Kyung-won was substituted in to the field for Kim, two minutes into injury time of the second half.

Kim Min-jae, left, is substituted by Kwon Kyung-won two minutes into the injury time of the second half during a World Cup Group H match between Korea and Ghana at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, on Monday. [YONHAP]

While Kim's actual physical condition remains a looming question mark, national team staff and players are saying that things are not as bad as they sound and that they are hoping for the best.

"Lingering pain from a muscle injury can stay with a player for up to 48 hours if they play a match with an existing injury," said a national team staff. "It's not that Kim's situation is serious, but it's more about us taking preventative measures."

Kim has for years been the center of the Korean back line, and him missing out on the match against Portugal would be a colossal blow for the Taeguk Warriors.

"I don't think that his injury is going to be a huge problem," said Lee Jae-sung at a press conference Wednesday. "He doesn't talk about it much, and he tries to only show his positive side. I've heard that he won't have problem playing in the last group stage match."

Korea needs a win over Portugal by more than two points to have a chance at advancing to the knockout stage, after their 3-2 defeat against Ghana and a 0-0 draw against Uruguay.

Kim Min-jae trains on a bike during a training session at Al Egla Training Site in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Alongside Kim, whether Hwang Hee-chan will be fit to join the Taeguk Warriors in the final group stage match remains to be seen.

Hwang's hamstring has been a concern since Nov. 12, when he didn't even get a spot on the bench in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 2-0 loss to Arsenal, the club's last game before the international break.

Reports after the game suggested he was out due to hamstring discomfort, a phrase that has been repeated by the Korean camp over the last 10 days along with repeated reassurances that discomfort doesn't mean injury.

However, Hwang was unable to start for Korea's first match against Uruguay on Nov. 24 and sat on the bench, also missing out on the Monday game against Ghana.

Although Hwang was seen training back on the pitch during the weekend with the Korean Football Association (KFA) also posting on social media that "the Bull is up and running," indicating that Hwang might be fit for Ghana, national team head coach Paulo Bento announced before the match that Hwang was not going to compete.

After missing out on the first two matches, Hwang was seen sprinting on the field during team training on Wednesday despite wearing sports tape around his left hamstring, which may be a sign that he may just be fit enough to join the Taeguk Warriors on Friday in Korea's last group stage match.

To fill the empty spot left by the injured Hwang, Na Sang-ho has been taking the right wing for the last two matches.

"Hwang always roots for me even when he is injured and cannot play," said Na during a press conference on Wednesday. "I hope that he can play against Portugal and show them what he's got. As a winger, Hwang is more aggressive and destructive."

As of press time, Korea has dropped down to third in Group H with one point, from the draw with Uruguay last Thursday. Portugal now have six points after beating Ghana 3-2 last week and then beating Uruguay 2-0 on Monday. Ghana now has three points after beating Korea 3-2, and Uruguay has one point. Only the top two teams will advance to the next round.

For Korea to land in the top two, Korea will first have to beat Portugal by more than a two goal difference, and Uruguay will either have to beat Ghana or tie the score for Korea to have a chance at advancing.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]

korea joongAng daily

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Taeguk Warriors hope to defy all odds against Portugal Friday

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