Vienna: South Korea will face Austria in their next men's football friendly match at full strength, with a couple of key attackers ready to roll after being limited in their previous contest, head coach Hong Myung-bo said. South Korea and Austria are scheduled to square off at Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna for a pre-World Cup friendly, with the kickoff set at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday (local time), or 3:45 a.m. Wednesday (South Korea time). At his prematch press conference at the stadium on Monday, Hong said captain Son Heung-min and midfielder Lee Kang-in will both be available from the start. South Korea lost to Ivory Coast 4-0 near London on Saturday with Son and Lee both getting subbed on in the second half. Son had been under the weather last week while Lee had been dealing with effects of a recent ankle injury.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Hong stated that in their previous match, those players were not in good enough physical condition to start, which required a reduction in their playing time. However, for the upcoming match against Austria, Hong expressed confidence that every player would be able to participate fully. Hong noted that Austria, three spots below South Korea at No. 25 in the FIFA rankings, is capable of applying organized, quick pressure on opponents. He emphasized the importance of maintaining possession and the ability to apply pressure when losing the ball.
With South Korea aiming to recover from a recent loss, Hong referenced the team's prior experience in overcoming setbacks. After facing a heavy defeat by Brazil in a friendly match last year, South Korea managed to secure a victory against Paraguay shortly after. Hong highlighted the importance of mental resilience and the lessons learned from previous matches. Despite the challenges, he believes that playing another match in quick succession will aid in the team's mental growth.
Hong also hinted at sticking to his back-three formation despite the defensive challenges faced against Ivory Coast in their earlier loss. The coach acknowledged the lack of time to implement new strategies, emphasizing the need to refine and improve upon their existing game plan.