“I’m happy with the players” (Klinsmann)
“I’m happy to score points” (Lee Kang-in)
It’s been seven months since Jürgen Klinsmann took over as head coach of the national soccer team in March.
Fans’ frustration with the team’s poor A-match record of 1 win, 3 draws, and 2 losses until last month has subsided.
The team’s recent three-game winning streak has included a clean sheet and 10 goals scored against Tunisia (4-0) and Vietnam (6-0) at home.
Their record has also changed to 3 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses.
The emergence of Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) as the mainstay of the national team is the biggest change.
Klinsmann has been calling up Lee since he took over.
He only missed the September European friendlies (Wales, Saudi Arabia) due to injury.
While he was underutilized under his predecessor, Paulo Bento, he has become something of a ‘crown prince’ under Klinsmann.
Klinsmann, who was criticized for his frequent overseas trips, was also saved by Lee Kang-in.
Against Tunisia at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 13th, Lee turned a dull first half into a multi-goal performance early in the second half. 카지노사이트가이드
His picturesque free-kick goal and a turning shot that he hit without losing his balance after falling down remain in the minds of fans.
In the match against Vietnam at the Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 17th, he imprinted his image as a national star.
His ability to catch the ball, dribble, pass, and connect stood out.
He neutralized his opponents with trickery and kept his cool in dangerous areas, showing off his advanced judgment and vision.
Klinsmann called Lee “fantastic” for his performance against Tunisia and gave him a full game against Vietnam. Three goals in 16 A-matches makes it all the more impressive.
Klinsmann’s proclaimed “attacking football” is also colored by the midfield play of world-class players like Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-min (Tottenham).
Frontline striker Cho Kyu-sung (Mitwillan) is a post-type striker, but he also creates attacking chances with a lot of movement.
Against Vietnam, he also found an answer to a team that defends in a tight circle, giving Lee Kang-in, Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), and Jung Woo-young (Stuttgart) “free rolls,” which allowed them to maximize their scoring potential down the left and right flanks.
It’s a good experience for the squad as they prepare for the Asian second round qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup North America in November and the Asian Cup next January.
The challenge will be to strengthen their tactics against the top teams they will face at the Asian Cup and in the World Cup Asia final qualifiers.
Japan is already out of step with Asian soccer, and the likes of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar in the Middle East are no pushovers.
As the Vietnam game showed, the defense made two or three crucial mistakes that need to be improved.
Commentator Kim Dae-gil said, “The game against Vietnam showed the color of Klinsmann’s attacking football.
However, the situation is different against a strong team, so we need to prepare to have a sense of stability.”
