2018 Russia World Cup: Mexico (1)
The South Korean starting lineup for the Mexico match has been announced. Today's starting lineup includes Yang Hyun-hee, the 201cm tall attacking forward targeting Mexico's short center backs.
Yang Hyun-hee's partner is Ryu Ha-neul, who was named Player of the Match in the Sweden match, and Ryu Ha-neul will be positioned a bit closer to the midfield line as usual.
Also, on the left wing, instead of Yoon Seo-hee, young and active Kim Chae-ri, and on the left center back, Cho Da-yoon who is faster than Seo Hye-won.
Korean Mexico match starting lineup. (4-4-2)
Yang Hyun-hee -------------------------- Ryu Ha-neul
Kim Chae-ri ----- Son Ju-hee ----- Han Ye-jin ----- Jo Seo-won
Kim Min-seo ----- Cho Da-yun ----- Kang Yeon-ji ----- Park Hye-ri
------------------- Kim Eun-hye --------------------
“Chae-ri! You know to prioritize defense over attack, right? Katarina, this girl, if you mark her, you can stop half of Mexico's attack. Just like practiced, only do what you've trained. Can you do it?”
“Yes, Coach.”
Kim Chae-ri nods at the coach's words.
Mexico's main attack route is the right line. Susana, a slow but sharp crossing right back, and Katarina, fast with a powerful left foot. Even if these two lead Mexico's attack, it's not an exaggeration.
The side line defense with wingers and wing backs is very important, but if the veteran Seo-hee with little defensive involvement and slow feet comes out as usual, our left side would be ruthlessly pierced.
Assigning such a heavy responsibility to a 20-year-old young player is a bit worrying, but in my judgment, Kim Chae-ri has the potential to take on such a heavy responsibility.
Kim Chae-ri is a player who received the K League MVP at 19 last year. With her advantage of high activity and speed, as long as she does only what she's trained, it won't be easy for Mexico's right line to break through.
... As long as she doesn't get nervous and tremble in the first World Cup match.
“Senior Chae-ri. Don't be nervous. If you just do it as trained, you can do it.”
“Yeah, Ha-neul.”
Kim Chae-ri's voice shows clear signs of nervousness, but in a first World Cup, everyone would react this way, so it's unavoidable. But once they get into the game, tension usually fades, and given Kim Chae-ri's personality so far, this tension probably won't last long, which is fortunate.
'Umm... For now, I have to exclude the left side from attack.'
However, until then, it might be better not to send the ball to Kim Chae-ri's side. So, after setting the early strategy for today's match, the game is about to start.
“As long as we play well today, the round of 16 is right in front of us. Let's go! To the round of 16! South Korea!”
“Fighting!”
After the coach's cheer and the players' resolve, the game starts.
'Indeed, not much has changed,'
After the game started, checking with quick passes, we confirmed that Mexico used the same tactic as in the Germany match.
Three center backs and two wing backs. And in the center, the Lopez sisters jumping around with good activity. On top, two wing forwards and the striker Monica.
Mexico mostly attacked from the sides, but since the Lopez sisters were a bit lacking in passing despite their activity and defensive strength, they had no choice. But the other three players besides Susana, the right back, all had fast feet, so Mexico's attack was like a typhoon.
Moreover, even if they possess the ball once, Mexico uses their stamina to press from all directions as if there's no next match, so it was hard for me to receive the ball too.
Because Mexico's press was too fierce, we had no choice but to long kick to Yang Hyun-hee's head, and as with most attacks, it mostly ended badly.
In short, from the beginning of the match, we were overwhelmed by Mexico's fierce press and surging attack. We had expected Mexico's attack to be fierce, but their attack was even fiercer than expected.
'Tsk, should I go down more?'
Currently my position is attacking midfielder.
Even in this position, if the ball doesn't come, the remaining option is to go down and be active. Moreover, the opponent midfield has two players. Against such a team, controlling the midfield is best.
“Senior!”
As I, who received a free kick, went down to the midfield, the players showed surprised expressions.
'Midfielder is rare...'
This was the position I started my career, but it had been a while since I stood here. Well, the things I've done so far are just different positions but similar.
Actually, in my youth, I did it sometimes, but because of the physical risk when facing adults, I didn't do it.
But this stage is the World Cup stage where you pour everything into every match. It wasn't a stage where you could afford to think about stamina management.
“Senior Ye-jin! Pass!”
So, I had Han Ye-jin and Son Ju-hee come down a bit below the sideline to participate in the back build-up. The sister of the Lopez sisters came right to me, but I passed to the empty Son Ju-hee.
Son Ju-hee is not a player with good passing or ball keeping, but since she was unmarked, she could easily receive the ball, and when one player attached to that side, Son Ju-hee immediately passed to the unmarked Han Ye-jin.
And seeing that scene, I realized.
'I guess they didn't expect me to come this far down?'
They didn't prepare countermeasures for when I came this far down.
Perhaps, soon under the coach's instructions, it would normalize.
So, to exploit the gap, now was the time.
“Senior!”
I called Han Ye-jin while running. The pass from Han Ye-jin reached me. The sister of the Lopez sisters was around Han Ye-jin and me. As I kept pushing the ball, now the younger sister was sticking to me.
But this is not enough...!
Thud, thud.
With the ball in front, shaking the upper body to the left, sending the ball from right foot to left foot, and from left to right, the body of the player who was backing away suddenly lost balance.
'Right!'
And I didn't miss the gap and ran towards the player's right. While running, I turned my head to check the teammates' positions, and I saw Mexico players coming to help the midfield from the sides.
The right back Park Hye-ri was empty. I didn't miss the gap and passed to Park Hye-ri, and Park Hye-ri, like a Bundesliga starting fullback, immediately put it forward to the goal mouth.
But unfortunately, Mexico's short defenders had good timing and were able to see the center backs as if they were the ones with the key, and Yang Hyun-hee, who was robbed of a good position, couldn't head the ball, and the ball came back to our side.
The person who received the ball was Han Ye-jin, who had run towards the penalty box from the moment she received the pass from me.
Han Ye-jin immediately shot from that spot...
Boom!
A sound like a cannon echoed across the ground.
'Please!'
Just in case the goal didn't go in, I ran towards the goalkeeper to aim for the second ball, but unfortunately, the ball bounced off the goalkeeper's hand and went out of the goal line, and a corner kick was declared.
'Tsk, I heard she's famous for her reflexes, she blocked it well.'
“Senior, sorry.”
“It's Kimberly. What can you do.”
Han Ye-jin said it couldn't be helped, but her expression showed a lot of regret.
But apart from Han Ye-jin's regret, our attack didn't end. Because there was still the corner kick left. Most players who are 170cm against Mexico, which is one of the few teams we can compete with in height, the most practiced is cross and corner kicks.
Mexico is one of the few teams we can compete with in height, so the important thing now is not a fast cross to poke the hole, but to accurately cross to the designated position.
And the corner kick taker is me, who can use the most accurate kick in the national team.
I held up three fingers to the players in position. This means to take it to the far post.
With my gesture, 201cm Yang Hyun-hee and 192cm Kang Yeon-ji moved their large bodies to the near post to obstruct the goalkeeper and center backs' view. And Mexico players were desperately trying to mark those two tall players from our team.
But what I was aiming for was 186cm Son Ju-hee on the far post.
Whistle - smack!
At the same time as the whistle, I ran and swung the ball, maintaining an appropriate height, and Yang Hyun-hee and Kang Yeon-ji who were at the near post ran towards the flying ball. The movement of the Mexico players drew their attention and they jumped together, but my ball didn't sink but curved towards the goalpost and headed to the designated position.
Thud.
And a simple header that only changes direction. The ball with a lot of spin was sucked into the goalpost just with that simple touch.
“Waaaaaaaaaaa!!!”
In the 24th minute of the first half. The first goal was scored by us, just like in the Sweden match.