Hwang Sun-hong Prepares Team Amidst Player Absences and Injuries

Courtesy of KFA

Korea's head coach, Hwang Sun-hong, is gearing up for the Asian Olympic men's football qualifiers in Qatar, facing hurdles such as key player absences and injuries. The tournament, also serving as the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, is crucial for Olympic qualification.

Ahead of the qualifiers, Hwang is without several key players due to club commitments and injuries. Notably, Celtic FC forward Yang Hyun-jun and Brentford FC defender Kim Ji-soo are unavailable as their clubs are not obliged to release players for the non-FIFA event.

Despite these setbacks, Hwang remains optimistic about the team's prospects, emphasizing the need to overcome adversity and secure their spot in the Olympics.
 

▲ Courtesy of KFAKorea's preparations include training camps in Dubai and Doha, with their first match against the United Arab Emirates scheduled for Tuesday. Hwang has already made adjustments to the squad, replacing absent players with alternatives such as Kim Min-woo and Jeong Sang-bin.

However, the availability of Stoke City midfielder Bae Jun-ho remains uncertain, as the English club battles relegation in their domestic league.

The top three teams from the AFC U-23 Asian Cup will secure Olympic berths, with the fourth-placed team facing Guinea in an intercontinental playoff.

Korea, a regular participant in the Olympics since 1992, aims to continue their streak of Olympic appearances amidst the challenges faced in the lead-up to the qualifiers.

Sayart

Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com