South Korea’s quest for an unprecedented third consecutive men’s football gold medal at the Asian Games began with an emphatic 9-0 victory over Kuwait on Tuesday. However, coach Hwang Sun-hong is wasting no time in keeping his players grounded, with a tougher match against Thailand looming just around the corner.
The South Korean team showcased their prowess in a dominant performance against Kuwait in Jinhua, situated southwest of host city Hangzhou. Despite the resounding win, Coach Hwang remained cautious, emphasizing the need to guard against complacency in the upcoming matches.
“We’ll pretend this match never happened,” Hwang remarked after the game, as reported by Yonhap. “We have even more difficult matches coming up later, and we have a long and challenging path ahead of us.”
South Korea, aiming to make history by becoming the first country to secure three consecutive men’s football titles at the Asian Games, understands that the road ahead will be far from straightforward. Adversaries such as Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the host nation, China, are equally determined to claim the coveted gold medal.
Adding to the intrigue, South Korea could potentially face North Korea in the Round of 16, depending on the final group standings.
Hwang Sun-hong acknowledged the importance of balancing confidence with humility, stating, “We should take some confidence from this match and forget about everything else. We have to work even harder the rest of the way. It’s nice to win big, but it could come back to haunt us later.”
In Tuesday’s other Group E encounter, South Korea’s rivals Thailand and Bahrain settled for a 1-1 draw, setting the stage for a competitive group stage.
The South Korean squad will receive a boost as Lee Kang-in, a talented midfielder, is set to join the team from France later in the tournament. Lee made a late appearance as a substitute in Paris St Germain’s recent Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund and has been granted permission by the Ligue 1 side to participate in the Asian Games.
While the official opening ceremony for the Games is scheduled for Saturday, several sports, including football, volleyball, beach volleyball, and cricket, kicked off on Tuesday. The Games, postponed from the previous year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, promise an exciting showcase of athletic prowess and international unity. South Korea’s dominant start is a testament to their ambitions, but they remain fully aware that the path to a historic gold medal is lined with formidable challenges.
