South Korea’s quest for 50 gold medals begins at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. South Korean men’s soccer gets off to a flying start as they look to become the first team to win three consecutive Asian Games titles. The Korean men’s soccer team, led by head coach Hwang Sun-hong, will kick off their Asian Games Group E campaign against Kuwait at 8:30 p.m. today at Jinhua Stadium in Zhejiang, China.
South Korean soccer has won back-to-back gold medals at the Asian Games, starting with the 2014 Incheon edition under the late Lee Kwang-jong, when the team claimed “perfect gold” in a seven-match sweep, and ending with the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang edition under Kim Hak-bum. South Korean soccer will attempt to make history by winning three consecutive Asian Games. However, it will not be an easy task, as all three previous attempts to win back-to-back titles on the Asian Games stage (Taiwan, Myanmar, and Iran) have failed.
South Korea will open the tournament against Kuwait, followed by matches against Thailand on Nov. 21 and Bahrain on Nov. 24. All three games will be played at Jinhwa Stadium. With a total of 23 nations competing in men’s soccer, South Korea should breeze through the round of 16. Divided into six groups, the 12 nations that finish first or second in their respective groups will also receive a ticket, as will the four best third-place teams.
While the group stage is relatively easy, the pressure is on for Hwang Sun-Hong, who will be without key player Lee Kang-In (Paris Saint-Germain) for the first time. Lee won’t be available for the first two games until the 21st. Add to that the fitness of the main players, including Seol Young-woo (Ulsan), who has been playing for the A national team, and the team’s adjustment to the competition. With the national team’s strength considered to be weaker than in the past, it’s important for the team to get off to a good start and raise their game from the round of 16 onward.
“We are well aware of how difficult and long the road to a third consecutive Asian Games title will be,” Hwang said at a press conference before the 먹튀검증 team traveled to Hangzhou on Nov. 16, “and we will do our best to achieve our desired goal with all our might.” Captain Baek Seung-ho (Jeonbuk) also expressed his determination, saying, “The goal is definitely gold.” The team has been training on the ground since the 17th to prepare for the final.
Hwang Sun-hong-ho’s first schedule marks the beginning of the Korean team’s challenge. The official opening day of the competition is on the 23rd. However, the challenge for the Taeguk Warriors begins on the morning of the 19th in several sports, starting with beach volleyball. Men’s soccer is the most high-profile event on the schedule, and it’s also symbolic of the morale boost it can provide to the entire team.