Who Called It a 'Kkuljo'... Kim Hak-beom's Tactical Plans Exposed, Remaining 2 Matches Also Full of Challenges

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] It seemed like a honey jar, but when the lid was opened, it was not.

After the Tokyo Olympics men's soccer group draw placed South Korea in Group B with New Zealand, Romania, and Honduras, the public evaluated it as a "manageable group."

However, once the tournament started, the atmosphere was different. For the Kim Hak-bum-led team, which took a hit in the first match against New Zealand, the remaining two matches do not look easy either.

South Korea's Tokyo Olympics men's soccer team lost 0-1 in their first Group B match against New Zealand on the 22nd at Ibaraki Kashima Stadium in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.

Looking closely at the details, Kim Hak-bum's team lost because New Zealand read their tactics and strategy. Initially, New Zealand was expected to use a 4-4-2 formation with tall forwards in this match, but they suddenly adopted a defensive 5-4-1 formation. It seemed they intended not to give up the space behind, considering our team's quick attacking ability that rapidly penetrates the opponent's back space.

Due to this tactical change, our team struggled from the beginning. It was not easy to break through the defensive wall of more than five tall New Zealand players standing in front of the goal. The team mainly tried to find a breakthrough on the right side where Eom Won-sang was positioned or by sending the ball into the back space, but there was no significant result. Players like Hwang Ui-jo, who need to control the ball and shoot, were also tied up. Since it was difficult to enter the penalty box easily, the forwards awkwardly attempted mid-range shots or crosses, failing to create good chances.

It seems the team somewhat anticipated this situation but failed to respond well. Coach Kim Hak-bum expressed regret after the match, saying, "I instructed the players to attempt through passes when the center opened up, but that part was the most lacking."

After taking a hit from New Zealand, the second match against Romania on the 25th became very important. Romania will also know that our forwards are fast and good at penetrating the back space. The last group stage opponent, Honduras, is the same. Honduras traditionally excels at counterattack tactics that pull back and then strike the opponent's weak points. We suffered the same fate and were eliminated after meeting them in the quarterfinals of the last Rio Olympics.

In contrast, our team's attacking options are not very diverse. The only true striker who can be placed at the front line is the wildcard Hwang Ui-jo, and the 'Lee Dong-jun zero-top' tactic, considered as a variation, was not very effective in the recent friendly match against Argentina.

Romania also secured their first win by defeating Honduras 1-0 the day before. Their defense was as solid as New Zealand's. For our team, which must beat Romania, it has become urgent to reassess tactics or prepare new alternatives.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.