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Phair play: Casey Phair makes football returns just in time for Korea-Australia friendly series

Published: 26 Mar. 2025, 15:17 Updated: 27 Mar. 2025, 08:47

PAIK JI-HWAN
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Korea's Casey Phair runs during a friendly with the U.S. women's national team at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado on June 1, 2024. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Angel City forward Casey Phair returned to the Korean women’s football team after a nine-month absence, joining the squad ahead of their two-game friendly series against Australia on April 4 and 7.

Phair made the cut for the 26-member roster announced by manager Shin Sang-woo on Wednesday.

The Angel City forward started representing Korea at the U-17 level in April 2023 and became the youngest player ever to play in the World Cup at 16 years and 26 days at the 2023 tournament.

She went on to make more senior caps in the 2024 AFC Women’s Olympic qualifying tournament where she scored a hat trick against Thailand and became the youngest player to do so in both the men and women’s national teams and also the second youngest player to score for the Korean women’s national team behind Korean football legend Ji So-yun.

She has only played for Korea at the U-17 level since last June, missing the senior team’s action at the 2025 Pink Ladies Cup in February.

Phair joins eight players based overseas and 17 WK League players, including Seoul Amazones midfielder Jung Min-young, who received her first call-up to the senior national team.

The eight players based overseas are Seattle Reign midfielder Ji, who is the most-capped player in Korean national team history regardless of gender at 163 caps, alongside Birmingham City forward Choe Yu-ri and midfielder Lee Geum-min, Leveante Badalona midfielder Lee Young-ju, Ottawa Rapid midfielder Choo Hyo-joo, AS Roma midfielder Kim Shin-ji, Wuhan Jiangda defender Kim Hye-ri and Lexington defender Shin Na-yeong.

The Korean women's football team poses for a photo before a friendly with the Philippines at Icheon Sports Complex in Icheon, Gyeonggi on April 8, 2024. [YONHAP]

Fellow veteran midfielder Cho So-hyun of Birmingham did not make it onto the roster this time.

Over in the forward lineup, Suwon FC’s Kang Chae-rim, Hwacheon KSPO’s Mun Eun-ju and Choi Yoo-jung, Changnyeong WFC’s Lee Eun-young and Korea University’s Jeong Da-bin also made it onto the roster.

The midfield, meanwhile, only has Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels’ Kim Myeong-jin as the sole midfielder from the WK League, joining fellow veterans based in overseas.

The defense lineup has six WK League players joining the squad: Red Angels’ Ko You-jin, Lee Deok-ju and Lim Seon-joo, Gyeongju KHNP’s Kim Jin-hui, Suwon’s Lee Yu-jin and Sejong Sports’ Jo Min-ah.

Three goalkeepers completing the squad are Suwon’s Kim Kyeong-hee, Red Angels’ Kim Min-jung and Sejong’s Ryu Ji-su.

The upcoming friendly series against Australia serve as a tuneup for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in March next year.

The Taeguk Ladies will jet off to Australia on Sunday on the back of their three-game winning streak in the Pink Ladies Cup last month during which they scored 10 goals and conceded zero goals.

Korea’s run in the Pink Ladies Cup reflects manager Shin’s improvements with his squad from his early struggle. After taking the helm in October last year, he only saw a streak of losses until a 3-0 win over Uzbekistan at the Pink Ladies Cup on Feb. 20.

The upcoming friendly series put Shin to the test of whether he can continue his momentum from last month.

Korea will play their first match at Allianz Stadium in Sydney and continue their second game action at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]