It’s no exaggeration to say that set pieces hold the key to the final Korea-Japan match.
The Korean men’s football team, led by Hwang Sun-hong, will face Japan in the final of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games at the Huanglong Sports Center in Hangzhou, China, on Sunday at 9 p.m. (KST). It will be the second consecutive time the team will meet Japan in the final. They will be looking to win their third consecutive title.
Hwang Sun-hong scored 25 goals (2 conceded) in six matches at the tournament through the quarterfinals. That’s four goals per game. His goals have come in a variety of patterns, most notably from set pieces. Set pieces are an obvious but difficult scoring option. You have to deceive the defense with a split-second move, and you need to be precise and detailed in your execution. It”s a low-impact way of scoring goals and leaving your opponent frustrated.
Especially in tournaments, a set piece can be the difference between a win and a loss. At the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang, Hwang Hee-chan’s goal came from a corner kick. In this tournament, Hwang has been scoring easily from set pieces. Kickers are also diverse, with Lee Kang-in, a left-footed ‘specialist’, and Hong Hyun-seok having a very sharp left-footed kick. In addition, ‘Captain’ Baek Seung-ho has a powerful right-footed kick.
Some of the goals came from direct free kicks, while others came from situations after free kicks and corners. Defenders Lee Jae-ik and Lee Han-beom have already found the back of the net. The national team has enjoyed a variety of kickers in the tournament. In the group stage, Baek Seung-ho scored from a free kick, and in the quarterfinals against China, Hong Hyun-seok scored from a free kick with a stunning left-footed shot.토토사이트
Against Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals, Jung Woo-young opened the scoring from a free kick. Kicker Lee Kang-in sent the ball straight to Hong Hyun-seok, who crossed it into the penetrating Uhm Won-sang. Uhm Won-sang crossed again, and Jung Woo-young was on hand to slide it in with his right foot to split the goal.
The national team has been practicing set pieces. They have prepared a variety of patterned plays. Hwang and his coaching staff have also been working hard to refine their set-pieces, sometimes demonstrating them themselves to emphasize the importance of focusing on free kicks and corners.
After all, a goal in a one-sided match is more important than any other. This is especially true in the final, so the role and importance of the kicker is huge.
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