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Bae Doubtful for South Korea's World Cup Opener Against Czech Republic
🇸🇬 Singapore /Sports

Bae Doubtful for South Korea's World Cup Opener Against Czech Republic

From CNA · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • South Korean midfielder Bae Jun-ho is unlikely to play in the team's World Cup opener against the Czech Republic due to an ankle injury.
  • Bae sustained the injury 10 days prior in a match against Trinidad and Tobago and has been training separately.
  • South Korea reached the knockout stage in the 2022 World Cup, and forward Hwang Hee-chan hopes for a repeat performance.

South Korea's World Cup campaign faces an early setback as midfielder Bae Jun-ho is highly unlikely to feature in their opening Group A match against the Czech Republic on Thursday. The 22-year-old Stoke City player sustained an ankle injury approximately 10 days ago during a 5-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.

Bae missed South Korea's recent 1-0 win against El Salvador and has been undergoing individual training sessions. His participation in the crucial opening game against Miroslav Koubek's Czech side appears increasingly improbable. As one of the younger members of coach Hong Myung-bo's squad, Bae was expected to bring youthful energy to a team that secured qualification for their 11th consecutive World Cup after a challenging preliminary round.

If I can have another play like that, it will be great for myself and for our team. Every match is important, but the first match is especially so.

— Hwang Hee-chanExpressing his ambition for the upcoming World Cup and the significance of the opening match.

Forward Hwang Hee-chan, a key player who scored the winning goal against Portugal in the 2022 tournament to help South Korea reach the last 16, expressed his desire for a similar outcome. "If I can have another play like that, it will be great for myself and for our team," Hwang stated, emphasizing the importance of the first match. "Every match is important, but the first match is especially so."

The Czech Republic enters the tournament with momentum, having secured six wins in qualification and friendly matches. This follows a period of instability that saw them lose to the Faroe Islands, leading to the appointment of 74-year-old coach Koubek. The Czechs, who last appeared in a World Cup in 2006, are expected to rely on their physicality, potentially featuring towering striker Tomas Chory. Coach Koubek has noted areas for improvement in defensive organization and assertiveness, despite recent positive results.

Some defensive solutions were not entirely decisive, that's true. We should have been more assertive in the duels. There were some slip-ups.

— Miroslav KoubekReflecting on areas for improvement in the Czech team's performance after a recent friendly match.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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