Klinsmann looks for first win as Korea take on Uruguay

Football

Published: 27 Mar. 2023, 16:56 Updated: 27 Mar. 2023, 17:52

Klinsmann looks for first win as Korea take on Uruguay

Son Heung-min, right, shoots during a Group H match against Uruguay at the 2022 Qatar World Cup at Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Nov. 24, 2022. [YONHAP/JOONGANGILBO]

Korea will face Uruguay for the first time since the 2022 Qatar World Cup on Tuesday, with new manager Jurgen Klinsmann aiming for his first win with the Taeguk Warriors.

The two sides clashed in a group stage game of the World Cup last year, ending with a goalless draw.

Korea is playing with nearly the same squad that went to Qatar last year. The only changes due to injury are Oh Hyeon-gyu of Celtic and Lee Ki-je of the Suwon Samsung Bluewings, both of who were in action in a friendly with Colombia on Friday.

Kim Jin-su of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors is also now out of the squad due to a back injury after Friday’s match, with Seol Young-woo of Ulsan Hyundai added to the squad as a replacement.

Uruguay, on the other hand, made multiple changes to their squad. Veteran players, including Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani and Diego Godin, are not on the roster.

Younger players like Federico Valverde of Real Madrid and Facundo Pellistri of Manchester United are included. Valverde, who scored a goal in a friendly with Japan on Friday, will most likely start the game against Korea.

Both Korea and Uruguay have yet to win their first game of the year. Korea drew 2-2 in Friday’s friendly against Colombia, while Uruguay recorded a 1-1 draw with Japan on the same day.

The second friendly on Tuesday is a chance for Klinsmann to redeem his debut that could have been a win.

The Taeguk Warriors displayed the aggressive football that the German manger wants to implement against Colombia in the first half of Friday’s game as they recorded multiple shots on target.

Son Heung-min scored twice in the first half, but his side conceded two goals at the beginning of the second half, ultimately missing their first victory under the new manager.

“We showed a confident performance against Colombia after the World Cup,” Son said after the game. “We know how good Colombia is and how talented their players are, so I want to give our performance today 70 points.”

Korea’s left-back position was noticeably vulnerable as the two goals they conceded came after failing to defend Colombia's attacks that started on the right wing. The pattern in which they allowed the goals was nearly the same.

Korea’s performance, even excluding Son’s goals, was solid overall throughout Friday’s match. The midfielders created a number of chances for forwards through penetrative passes and the players continued to pressure Colombia hard to make more goal-scoring opportunities.

Celtic forward Oh, who played 30 minutes of the match, has potential to be in the starting lineup in the next game, as he displayed solid movements and managed one shot in the 87th minute, which could have been the winner if not blocked by defender Daniel Munoz.

Oh Hyeon-gyu, right, shoots during a friendly between Korea and Colombia at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Friday. [YONHAP]

Tuesday’s clash with Uruguay will be held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul, the same venue where Korea beat them 2-1 in a friendly in 2018.

Hwang Ui-jo and Jung Woo-young, who are both in Klinsmann’s squad, scored a goal apiece in that game, with Jung scoring the winner.

Although Tuesday’s game is also a friendly by name, it will not likely be friendly at all, with Korea looking to mark their first win with Klinsmann and Uruguay attempting to get revenge on the side that knocked them out of the World Cup group stage four months ago.

“I think we can play better and play more aggressive football,” Son said on Friday. “The result of the next match will be better if we go into the next game thinking that we can score more in today’s game.”

Kim Min-jae, who led his side’s defense on Friday, appears to be on the same page, but thinks that the defense should be better.

“Uruguay is a strong team, but we can win if we do not concede,” Kim said in Monday's pre-game press conference at the Paju National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]