Zapopan: South Korea returned to training Sunday to prepare for their next group stage match of the FIFA World Cup against Mexico after enjoying a day off. Both South Korea and Mexico secured victories in their first matches of Group A last week, with South Korea defeating Czechia 2-1 and Mexico overcoming South Africa 2-0.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea and Mexico are set to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, or 10 a.m. Friday South Korean time. The winner of this match will be in a favorable position to progress to the knockout phase as the group winner. South Korea's coach, Hong Myung-bo, conducted a light recovery session for the team on Friday following their opening win and granted them a full day off on Saturday.
Sunday's training session involved conditioning work followed by passing and shooting drills. Tactical preparations began in earnest on Monday, as reported by a national team official. Two players, defender Kim Tae-hyeon and midfielder Bae Jun-ho, who are recovering from ankle injuries, were seen riding stationary bikes on the sidelines and did not participate in the full training session. However, there is a possibility that both players may be available for the match against Mexico, with Kim showing rapid progress despite an initial diagnosis suggesting he might miss the rest of the group stage.
Kim is one of two left-footed center backs on the team, along with Lee Gi-hyuk, who played the entire match against Czechia. Bae serves as a backup attacking midfielder. Experts believe that Mexico will present a formidable challenge for South Korea this week, despite not appearing as dominant against nine-man South Africa in the opener.
KBS analyst Park Chan-ha expressed concerns about the Mexican side, stating that Mexico may have conserved their energy during the previous match and that South Korea will face a much more determined opponent. Park highlighted the potential threat posed by Robert Alvarado and Brian Gutierrez on the right flank, emphasizing the importance of South Korea's defense holding strong on that side.
Former head coach of the South Korean men's under-23 national team, Kim Hak-beom, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for South Korean defenders to challenge Mexico's skilled attackers effectively. Kim, who has been observing Mexico's preparations in the country, stressed the importance of making it difficult for Mexican players to gain possession and suggested that South Korea should exploit the space behind Mexico's defense during counterattacks.