2018 Russia World Cup vs Germany (1)
Wow, even with just one player, the national team's quality has skyrocketed lol
Meanwhile, Ryu Ha-neul, who had already become widely known as a star in the football world, surpassed 50 million followers on SNS through his performances in the World Cup, becoming a star for people around the world...
...Lim a foresight?! Ryu Ha-neul did it.
……In the second game, he scored two goals, provided one assist, and received two Player of the Match awards, rising as the World Cup's greatest star. Leading South Korea's qualification for the main tournament—despite being evaluated as a relatively weak team—...
"For the Germany match, the Taegeuk warriors must be careful. Stop Hanna!"
...Hanna, who scored 31 goals this season in the Bundesliga and took the top scorer title, is evaluated as a striker who can score using every part of his body thanks to his 193cm frame. Also, Freida, who has been playing with Hanna at the club, is another player to watch out for. Freida, the attacking midfielder from Munich who adds creativity to Germany's straight-line national team, is...
Additionally, the six players from Munich who form the core of the German national team—Hanna the starting striker, Freida the attacking midfielder, Sura the right winger, the center-back duo Sophia and Carla, and goalkeeper Lea—make the national team's biggest challenge how to deal with their tight team chemistry...
“Ha-neul-ah, don’t get too excited.”
“...Me?”
“No, I just felt like I had to say this once. It’s a mess right now.”
“Is that so? I don’t really know...”
Before the final group stage match against Germany, Kim Chae-ri approached me with an excited face.
I guess it really is a mess.
Actually, the reporters kept requesting interviews, so it felt real, but the phone was completely locked down, so I didn’t know the internet opinion. But seeing Kim Chae-ri acting like this, it seemed like it was a mess.
Ha... Should I check now? No, if I check now, I’ll have to watch all night... Let’s check after the round of 16, the round of 16.
I wanted to take a dopamine shower by reading the praises, but I thought it was still too early to pop the champagne. There was still a match against Germany left.
Moreover,
“Ha-neul-ah, you look a bit heavy?”
Thinking about playing more in midfield during the Mexico game and walking around more than usual, my body felt a bit heavy, so now was the time to focus on recovery, not watching things.
Ha... I’ve been doing physical training steadily, but since my body is still weak, what can I do? If I had just 1-2 more years...
Now, only two days left. I thought it would be nice if there was a little more time, but since all games were on a knife’s edge, I had to pour everything into it on the World Cup stage.
Ha, I really want to aim for 1st place.
Actually, Korea was a country that evaluated reaching the round of 16 as success, but I really wanted to step on the 8th round stage. And if it was around the 8th round, there was a possibility that any team could win.
But if we advanced as 2nd in the group, the likely team waiting for us was Brazil in group E.
Traditionally, Brazil was like a grim reaper for us who were weak in South America. So, we should aim for 1st to avoid Brazil.
Even a draw would give 1st place.
And currently, the situation was better than any World Cup I had played in.
A draw would give 1st. Thinking about the past days when I calculated the cases for advancing to the round of 16, there was no better situation than this. So, I wanted to seize this opportunity.
Of course, Germany was not a weak opponent. First, most players were from Munich, and adding Chelsea’s core midfielder Sophia, it was not strange to say it was a team that aimed for the championship anytime.
Well, they were opponents I had beaten in the Champions League, but since the team playing now was not Barcelona, I couldn’t be complacent.
“The most important thing in the Germany match is defense. Everyone will find it difficult, but hold on as much as possible... And when defending, Seul-gi, you come down and Ha-neul, you hold at the front and create a pivot.”
The strategy for preparing for the Germany match was basically defense then counterattack. The coach emphasized defense every meeting and encouraged the players not to get too excited since we had two wins. But since the round of 16 was already decided, the excited atmosphere on the players’ faces didn’t disappear.
My condition not at the best, and strangely excited players...
...A bit uneasy?
With that unease, time passed, and suddenly the third match against Germany in the group stage came.
[Hello! The third match of the group stage, the match to decide the F group 1st place between Korea and Germany, which has secured the round of 16! Starting now!]
[Germany is really not a weak opponent. If we can have a good match against Germany like we did against Sweden and Mexico, I think. Looking forward to a good game today.]
[Now, Korea’s lineup comes out. Goalkeeper Kim Eun-hye, fullback line Park Hye-ri, Kang Hye-jin, Seo Hye-won, Kim Yu-jin. Midfield line Jo Seo-won, Han Ye-jin, Son Ju-hee, Yoon Seo-hee. And at the front Ryu Ha-neul and Kim Seul-gi are positioned.]
[Player Kim Yu-jin who has strength in defense instead of Kim Min-seo on the left fullback, looks like she came out. As expected, since Germany is a strong team, it seems they prepared a defensive tactic.]
[...Korea’s game starts with the national team’s star. Who will take the 1st place in F group, Kim Seul-gi passes to Ryu Ha-neul, Ryu Ha-neul to Han Ye-jin, starts the game.]
The third match for the group 1st between Korea and Germany.
The beginning was Korea passing the ball while avoiding Germany’s pressure, seeming to develop normally. Germany pressed strongly from the front, and Korea sent the ball to Ryu Ha-neul whenever there was a dangerous moment to escape Germany’s pressure.
The Korean fans watching the game were excited about the possibility of group 1st after seeing that.
But unlike the fans’ expectations, the ball didn’t go beyond a certain point and the Korean attack was stalled.
[Ah, as expected, Germany. They have a solid defense.]
[Currently, Germany’s formation is 4-4-1-1, with the defense line and midfield line moving as one body and not giving Korea space.]
[As expected, you need a player to break through the space at times like this... Korea has such a player, right?]
[Yes. It’s Ryu Ha-neul.]
[We have to expect something from Ryu Ha-neul.]
And when the situation became like that, the viewers’ eyes turned to Ryu Ha-neul.
Just like before, they were waiting for Ryu Ha-neul to do something.
Again, it feels empty. I have to do something...
Ryu Ha-neul also knew the situation and tried to do something, but the situation wasn’t that easy.
[Ah, Sophia is sticking to Ryu Ha-neul. Ryu Ha-neul passes a back pass to Son Ju-hee.]
[Germany prepared really well. They assigned Sophia, one of the midfielders, to mark Ryu Ha-neul one-on-one, and Freida, who came down to fill the gap, marked Ryu Ha-neul as well. They weren’t giving in to the midfield battle either. As expected, there’s a reason they’re a strong team.]
Because Chelsea’s core midfielder Sophia was marking Ryu Ha-neul one-on-one.
Sophia pressed Ryu Ha-neul with her 190cm bulky physique and overwhelming stamina, and as Ryu Ha-neul was marked, the Korean players started to get desperate.
[Kim Seul-gi’s long-range shot! Ah! It misses! But Kim Seul-gi had a good attempt! Now Germany’s kick.]
Once the ball ownership went to Germany, Germany’s fierce attack began.
[Hanna’s shot! Saved! Kim Eun-hye saves Korea from crisis!]
[Freida takes the ball! Kang Yeon-ji’s tackle! Ah! Saved! But Germany’s throw-in returns the ball to Germany.]
So, for about 30 minutes. Germany pressed Korea hard, and Korea was confined to their own half, with the number of shots 8:2, but they blocked Germany’s attacks one by one and somehow not allowing a goal.
[It’s okay. If they don’t concede a goal, they’ll get one chance. Germany’s lines are really high right now? Currently, Germany has only two center-backs in the back.]
Good, completely submerged in attack. Then once in a while...
And in the midst of that, Ryu Ha-neul confirmed that the mark on him had loosened as Germany’s lines rose.
Ryu Ha-neul, who had been passively participating in defense and conserving energy for one chance.