2018 Russia World Cup Quarterfinals: The Weight of the Quarterfinals
An exciting match between South Korea and Belgium is unfolding right here. Belgium and South Korea are fighting for a spot in the semifinals.
It looks like it will be a really fun game, doesn't it? Belgium reached the quarterfinals in 1986, and South Korea in 2002. If we win this match, both countries will reach the quarterfinals for the second time in history.
That's right. It would be great if we could experience that joy. Actually, Belgium isn't an easy team, is it?
That's right. Belgium's current FIFA ranking is 3rd, so it's not just an easy team; it's a strong team aiming for the championship. But! Our South Korea also looks like a team that doesn't fall behind in terms of current performance, right? Especially since Ryu Ha-neul is a player who can play as the ace for any country.
Ryu Ha-neul is a treasure for South Korea, no, a treasure for the world.
Actually, when Ryu Ha-neul debuted, there were many question marks attached to him? Like, was he overrated just because he was a man? But through this season and this World Cup, he wasn't just famous because he was a man, but he clearly imprinted his skills on the world's football fans. There won't be any fans who have doubts about Ryu Ha-neul's skills from now on.
That's right. Moreover, Ryu Ha-neul's play is so flashy, isn't it?
Yes. Actually, such flashy play can be attempted by anyone. But executing a skill with perfect timing and high success rate like Ryu Ha-neul is not an easy task. We can say that Ryu Ha-neul is the only one in the world. A unique player. And the player who plays the most beautiful football in the world, I would evaluate Ryu Ha-neul that way.
Haha, I hope Ryu Ha-neul plays well today as well.
That's right. Also, the match between France and Uruguay was wonderful in the previous game, and I hope this match is also a wonderful one that doesn't fall short of that.
In the end, Charles-Laut brought the winning goal, and France advanced to the quarterfinals, right? If they advance, they will face France, and the matchup with France's star Louise Godart will be interesting to watch with these two eyes.
Then, we have to win today's match, right?
That's right. Now, let's introduce the lineup for the second leg of the 2018 Russia World Cup quarterfinals between South Korea and Belgium. First, the Belgium in red. Goalkeeper... Then the South Korea in white. Goalkeeper Kim Eun-hye, ... Midfielders Hong Ye-eun, Jo Seo-won, Han Ye-jin, Son Ju-hee, Kim Min-seo. And forward Ryu Ha-neul.
Today's Korea is using a 4-1-4-1 formation, right? Using Hong Ye-eun as the defensive midfielder, and Kim Yu-jin and Kim Min-seo on the left line. Using two players who mainly play as fullbacks...
What do you think of Korea's new tactic, Chairman?
As expected, it's Lee Young-hee. I want to say this. The tactic that can best stop Belgium from the current Korean lineup. Also, Lee Young-hee showed her tactical side by bringing different strategies for the Sweden match, Mexico match, and Germany match? This time, it will be interesting to see how this tactic of Lee Young-hee's fits.
Familiar faces.
Looking at the Belgium players standing in their positions, familiar faces come into view. From Koen at Chelsea, who I played against in the Champions League, to Josephine, who I faced in the recent El Clasico. And there were other players who I had seen in videos in Belgium's lineup.
And looking back at my teammates' expressions.
Their expressions are good.
Fortunately, my teammates' expressions were burning with fighting spirit rather than tense. Probably, the bloody battle between France and Uruguay had burned something in the players as football players. Indeed, that match was one that would burn for a football player.
Good. This is enough.
Honestly, when facing strong teams in the World Cup, there were often times when a sense of powerlessness was hidden under the players' expressions, but thinking about that, today seemed to have a good chance of winning.
And although it might be a bit awkward to say this, since goalkeeper Kim Eun-hye is on her period, she looked even more reliable.
Pee - Eek!
So, after reassuring my teammates, I was controlling my mind, and the whistle blew, and Belgium's striker Chloe passed to Annie, and the match started. Belgium's football's characteristic was that it relied more on individual abilities rather than using any tactics, and Belgium started boldly penetrating our field from the start and launching fast attacks.
What I can do here is just receive the back pass. So the Belgium attack continued without regard to me, and Belgium's right winger Amber crossed to Chloe.
Please!
And luckily, Chloe's header landed in Kim Eun-hye's arms, ending Belgium's first attack. Since the defenders did something, now it's my turn.
“Senior!”
I went down lower than usual to receive the ball coming from the defenders. And as soon as I got the ball, Belgium's players started pressing. I turned the ball with my first touch, lightly beat one player, passed to Son Ju-hee, and adjusted the tempo.
Today's concept is to pull back defensively as much as possible. But we couldn't abandon the attack, so we advanced slowly, lifting the lines as much as possible. At some point, Josephine stood in front of me.
...Up to here?
Looking at the position, Belgium's current defensive line was in a 3-back formation, and since I was alone at the front, Josephine had come up to this point. And, as soon as I received the ball, Josephine pushed my body without any hesitation.
Pee - Eek!
Of course, the referee blew the whistle sharply, but I felt inside that something was wrong.
Tsk, this would be a red card.
Since Josephine is coming out like this, I instinctively felt that I couldn't break through Josephine until she gets sent off. And at this position, a card wouldn't come out unless I commit a back tackle or a real dangerous foul.
Moreover, since our tactic wasn't a counterattack, Josephine wouldn't likely commit such a foul without urgency.
Ah... If only Kim Seul-gi was there, Josephine wouldn't have come out this far...
Instantly, a sense of regret came, but since I had to focus on defense as much as possible, I had no choice but to set aside the regret.
Then I have to break through with a pass... For now, let's trust my teammates.
My breakthrough was almost blocked, so I could only trust my teammates. After restarting the match with a short free kick, I scattered passes left and right to shake Belgium's defense, but Belgium was Belgium.
“Block!”
Belgium quickly tried a counterattack after lightly blocking Jo Seo-won's breakthrough, and attacked us, and Kim Eun-hye blocked Belgium's shot, but a corner kick was declared.
And after that, the match continued to be one-sided. Of course, the subject of the attack was Belgium.
We barely blocked Belgium's attacks and spent time, but since I, who had to lead the attack, was blocked by Josephine's clever foul, the attack didn't flow and the time defending became longer, and eventually a mistake happened.
- Waaaaaaa!!!
- Chloe! Chloe! Chloe!
Ah... Damn it.
It seemed like it wouldn't work like this either.
*
Ah... Chloe's header shakes South Korea's goal net. Belgium's first goal. 32 minutes into the first half. Belgium, who had been knocking on South Korea's goalposts, eventually scored the first goal.
Uhm... They came out too defensively? I thought they were blocking well throughout the first half, but if they're being boxed in and constantly attacked, there's nothing they can do... I think it would have been better if they matched the attack more aggressively.
This...
As Chloe's header shot shook the goal net, South Korea's coach Lee Young-hee clenched her fists without noticing her nails digging into her flesh.
This was a perfect own mistake.
She had been too scared of the name Belgium in the Belgium player list. If she had planned the starting lineup as usual....
Lee Young-hee's mind was filled with regret.
What to do? Should I change? It's still not even the end of the first half?
It wasn't difficult to notice the mistake. But the difficult part was admitting the mistake and fixing it immediately.
Lee Young-hee knew her tactic was wrong, but she couldn't make a decision readily.
The current time was early in the first half, 25 minutes in, so it was too early to make substitutions. And making a substitution at this time was basically admitting from the beginning that her strategy was wrong.
No matter how veteran Lee Young-hee was, making such a decision was difficult.
No, rather, because she was a veteran, she knew that even just making the substitution could cause her career to collapse.
If they lost like this, there was a high possibility that it would be the joint responsibility of the players and the coach. She had used a defensive tactic, but in football, it was ultimately the players who did it. Actually, Lee Young-hee's tactic was a reasonable tactic that a weak team facing a strong team would take, so it was even more so.
And reaching the quarterfinals was a great achievement, so if they returned to Korea with the responsibility divided between players and coach, they would be evaluated as a hero of Korean football.
But if they started replacing players from the first half, it would mean not only this goal conceded but also the responsibility of the match would be entirely on the coach. From that moment, she would be a coach who led Korean football to the quarterfinals, not a tactical misjudgment that blocked Korean football's advancement to the semifinals.
Replacing players in the first half had that meaning.
This World Cup was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that might not come again in the Korean football world. To admit that they ruined that opportunity purely because of the coach's mistake? Because she had accumulated a lot of career, it was not easy to make such a decision.
Should I substitute? No, since there are prepared things, we can go 1:0 and reverse in the second half... But, can we really reverse in the second half? If we do like this, it's not strange to concede a few more goals... What should I do?
In the short moment Belgium was doing a ceremony, countless worries swept through Lee Young-hee's mind.
And at that time, Ryu Ha-neul's figure approaching the bench was seen.
Ha-neul...
Instantly, a hope arose in Lee Young-hee's mind: If it's Ha-neul, maybe he can solve this situation?
If Ha-neul's previous appearances were any indication, he seemed capable of fully overcoming this crisis situation and pulling himself out of this pit.
How many crises had Ha-neul saved South Korea from so far.
It was an egoistic thought, but Lee Young-hee saw the player Ryu Ha-neul as one who could do such things.
But at that moment, Ha-neul, who had received water from the bench, looked at her. The look in his eyes seemed to have noticed her egoistic and irresponsible inner thoughts, and Lee Young-hee, who had thought egoistically, felt something pricking her heart.
And at that moment, Ha-neul, who had water in his mouth, opened his mouth.
“Ptoo. Coach.”
“Uh, what?”
“I don't think I can do it alone. Please... substitute me.”
To Lee Young-hee, who was being told by Ha-neul, her grandson-like figure, to take all the blame, she felt a slight sense of betrayal. Before leaving the country, to say this to herself who had dismissed her senior who was tormenting her before departure....
This meant to walk to the gallows with all the blame on herself. And Ha-neul was young, but he was smart, so he wouldn't have said such a thing without knowing the fact.
“Coach...”
But that emotion was momentary. Ha-neul's earnest gaze awakened that rationally, Ha-neul's words were right. No, it was telling that even the thought of dividing responsibility with the players from the beginning was a wrong thought.
The coach is a position that bears responsibility.
I was old and foolish.
She realized she had almost made an irreversible mistake by being blinded by a moment of glory. And she looked at Ha-neul in front of her. How much courage did this young player show by speaking to the coach herself?
As a coach, as an adult, she had to fulfill this young boy's wish.
“...Seo-hee! Seul-gi! Prepare.”
Lee Young-hee's mouth, who had decided to take all the responsibility, opened.
“G, Coach?”
“From the first half?”
And the players who knew what it meant to replace players from the first half looked at Lee Young-hee with surprised expressions.
“The responsibility is mine. Go out and show what Korean football is.”
Perhaps, while postponing the thought that this match might be her last as national team coach, Lee Young-hee patted her players' shoulders.