Taeguk Warriors to face Wales in friendly in September

Son Heung-min, second from right, in action during a friendly match against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland on March 24, 2018. [YONHAP]

Korea will play Wales as their first away game opponent under Jurgen Klinsmann in Cardiff City, Wales, on Sept. 7, the Korea Football Association announced on Monday.

The Taeguk Warriors will play a game in Europe for the first time since March 2018, when they faced Northern Ireland and Poland in friendlies. They recorded a 2-1 loss to Northern Ireland before a 3-2 loss to Poland.

The friendly with Wales will take place during the FIFA international break in September, and another friendly will be held shortly after the first game, with the opponent yet to be announced.

The opponent in the second friendly will not likely be a European team, as most European nations will compete in the 2024 Euro qualifiers during the period.

The friendly in September will be Korea’s first-ever clash with Wales.

Wales, ranked 26th on the FIFA rankings — one position above Korea — qualified for the World Cup last year for the first time in 64 years but failed to reach the round of 16 with one draw and two losses in the group stage.

They previously reached the semifinals of the Euro 2016 and advanced to the round of 16 in the 2020 Euro.

Welsh aces like Aaron Ramsey of OGC Nice and Ben Davis of Tottenham Hotspur, who plays alongside Son Heung-min, will likely be in action in the September friendly.

Gareth Bale, one of the greatest Welsh players of all time, will not be playing as he retired from the sport in January.

Korea will first play two friendlies against Peru and El Salvador in June on home soil before gathering again in September.

The friendly with Wales will take place at Cardiff City Stadium, with the exact kick-off time yet to be announced.

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