◀ Anchor ▶
The performance of Asian countries at the World Cup in Qatar is attracting attention.
By beating Wales, Iran became the third Asian country to win a match following Saudi Arabia and Japan.
Expectations are rising that the next main character may be our Republic of Korea.
If our national team’s organizational skills, shown in the game once morest Uruguay, continue in the game once morest Ghana the day following tomorrow, another great match will be held.
Let’s find out more by connecting to Qatar.
Reporter Min Byeong-ho, we must be concentrating on our national team training ahead of the game once morest Ghana, but more than anything else, I wonder how our players are doing.
◀ Anchor ▶
Yes, this is Doha, Qatar.
The second leg of the group stage between Korea and Ghana is now two days away.
A little while later, the national team, ahead of the followingnoon training, unveiled the entire training yesterday following a long time.
The players who started in the last game once morest Uruguay returned to their accommodations following cycling for 30 minutes, and the rest of the players sweated for regarding an hour with coach Bento.
However, there was the only player who did not come to the training ground.
It is Kim Min-jae, the key player in defense.
I felt pain in my calf muscles in the last game once morest Uruguay, but I chose rest and treatment rather than training.
Kim Min-jae played so many games that there was controversy regarding overuse right before joining the national team.
He said it was the first time he had ever injured a muscle.
So the national team official said it was not a serious injury, but it is true that I am worried.
Reporter Kim Tae-woon delivers the first news.
◀ Report ▶
Two scenes that broke our hearts.
The moment captain Son Heung-min collapsed following being tackled and grabbed his ankle and hand.
And 7 minutes later, Kim Min-jae, who was running to stop Núñez from running, slipped…
It was the moment when I limped from the pain and sat down.
[안정환 / MBC 해설위원]
“Ah, Min-jae Kim is falling down right now. As he slipped, I might see a muscle injury. It would be really bad if I lost Min-jae Kim.”
Kim Min-jae showed a sense of responsibility by playing full-time until the end despite an injury to his right calf, but it is true that such an injury is unfamiliar to him.
[김민재 / 축구대표팀]
“Actually, it’s the first time I’ve had a muscle-like injury, so I’ll have to see exactly what the situation is… I can’t step on my legs and now I think I’ve fallen, and that’s the situation. My muscles are coming up…”
Although the exact physical condition is not yet known, there is a good reason for Kim Min-jae’s injury, which took a break instead of recovery training.
This season, he emerged as a key player in his team, Napoli, and spent the third most time on the team…
Except for the goalkeeper, Kim Min-jae is the only one who played full-time without replacement.
So just before the World Cup, the appearance of physical strength and…
There were also mistakes that were not like Kim Min-jae.
Director Bento was unusually disappointed.
[파울루 벤투 / 축구대표팀 감독]
“Kim Min-jae has played every Champions League game and every league game in a short period of time. If you go on like this, the player will suffer.”
Enough to be praised by the BBC as a monster that stopped Suárez and Núñez…
Kim Min-jae, who is evaluated as the core of Korea Electric Power.
On the World Cup stage once morest strong teams, defense always came first.
The safe return of Kim Min-jae is expected to be the key to the second round.
This is MBC News Kim Tae-woon from Doha.
Video coverage: Kim Shin-young, Son Ji-yoon
Video editing: Jo Min-woo
MBC News waits for your report 24 hours a day.
▷ Phone 02-784-4000
▷ Email mbcjebo@mbc.co.kr
▷ Kakao Talk @ mbc report