Korea look to continue run of wins in Philippines friendlies

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Korea look to continue run of wins in Philippines friendlies

Published: 04 Apr. 2024, 14:30 Updated: 04 Apr. 2024, 17:21

The Korean national women's football team trains ahead of two games against the Philippines at Icheon Sports Complex in Icheon, Gyeonggi on Monday. [NEWS1]

The Korean national women’s football team will be back in action for their first home games of the year as they face the Philippines over two games on Friday and Monday during the FIFA international break.

Both matches will take place at Icheon City Stadium in Icheon, Gyeonggi — where the U-23 men’s national team has also been training ahead of the U-23 Asian Cup in Qatar, qualifiers for the Paris Olympics.

Led by manager Colin Bell, the Taeguk Ladies will be together on the pitch for the first time since their friendlies in Europe in February. They beat the Czech Republic 2-1, thanks to goals from Seattle Reign’s Ji So-yun and Angel City’s Casey Phair, but lost 5-1 to Portugal.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced the Philippines friendlies late last month, weeks after the U.S. women’s national team announced they would host Korea for two stateside friendlies in June.

Korea in recent years has dominated the Philippines on the pitch, winning all four of their head-to-head clashes since 2008.

Korea last beat the Philippines 5-1 at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September to seal their spot in the quarterfinals and before that, defeated the Southeast Asian side 2-0 in the semifinals of the 2022 AFC Asian Women’s Cup to advance to the final round.

Korea beats the Philippines 5-1 in the second Group E match at the Hangzhou Asian Games on September 25, 2023. [KFA]

Korea currently sit at No. 20 on the FIFA ranking, 19 spots above the Philippines, No. 39.

The KFA announced the final women’s team roster on Wednesday.

Bell called up a squad packed with national team regulars with the addition of a few U-20 players making their first senior caps.

No. 1 goalkeeper pick Kim Jung-mi of the Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels is in the squad alongside Ryu Ji-soo of Seoul City Amazones and Choi Ye-seul of Gyeongju KHNP. It will be Ryu’s first cap.

In defense, Kim Hye-ri and Choo Hyo-joo of the Incheon Red Angels, Shim Seo-yeon of Suwon FC, Jang Sel-gi of Gyeongju KHNP, Lee Young-ju of Madrid CFF, Lee Eun-young of Changnyeong WFC, Kim Se-yeon of Daeduk University have been called up alongside Nam Seung-eun of Osan Information High School and Go Da-ae of Korea University, both of whom received the call for the first time after playing at the U-20 Asian Women’s Cup in March.

Midfielders joining Seattle Reign’s Ji are Jeon Eun-ha of Suwon FC, Won Chae-eun of Korea University Sejong Campus, Chun Ga-ram of Hwacheon KSPO and Cho So-hyun of Birmingham City. Attacker Jeon Yu-kyung of Uiduk University, who played at the U-20 Asian Women’s Cup, will also make her senior team debut.

Forwards Kang Chae-rim and Moon Mi-ra of Suwon FC, Go Yu-na of Hwacheon KSPO, Choe Yu-ri of Birmingham City, Lee Geum-min of Brighton and Hove Albion join Angel City’s Phair to complete the lineup. It will be Go’s first senior cap.

Both forward Son Hwa-yeon, who scored the only goal for Korea in their February match against Portugal, and midfielder Lee Mi-na of the Red Angels were called up to the squad when the KFA announced the matches last month, but are not in the final lineup.

Korean women's national football team manager Colin Bell observes a training session ahead of a match against the Philippines at Icheon Sports Complex in Icheon, Gyeonggi on Monday. [NEWS1]

Colin Bell looks for refresh as South Korean women's football training kicks off in Paju

Overseas players are returning with brushed-up stats since they last played for Korea in Europe.

Brighton’s Lee Geum-min scored the sole goal in her side’s 4-1 loss against Manchester City on March 17. Seattle Reign’s Ji scored her first goal for the club in a match against Chicago Red Stars on March 27, winning the National Women’s Soccer League’s Goal of the Week and becoming the first Korean player to score a goal in the NWSL.

The first match of the two-game series kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday.

BY MARY YANG AND PAIK JI-HWAN [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]