The national soccer team is looking to make it three in a row with two straight home wins.
Head coach Jürgen Klinsmann’s (59-Germany) side will take on Vietnam in a friendly on Sunday at 8 p.m. at Suwon World Cup Stadium. It’s their second A match in October, following a 4-0 win over Tunisia on Sept. 13, and their final sparring session before the 2026 North and Central American World Cup Asia qualifiers begin next month.
The biggest question mark is whether captain Son Heung-min (31, Tottenham) will be available. He spent the first three days of his return home on a recovery program of cycling, massage, and other exercises after a groin injury he picked up with his club. He started pitch training on the 12th, but is still not 100%.
His chances of playing are 50/50. But he is very determined to play. Watching from the bench against Tunisia, Son Heung-min said, “I always want to play A matches, especially in Korea. If I get the chance, I’d like to (play) and show a good performance.”
However, the Vietnam game is not something to be overly concerned about. It’s not on the same level as a traditional A match, so it’s unnecessary to put a “world-class” star who is out of form against an inferior opponent just to win, unless we have something to gain. If Klinsmann had common sense, he would have given him a very brief appearance as a fan service.
However, Son’s inclusion has a huge impact on the entire national team. Not only do you have to decide how much time to give the ace, or if he’s going to start, but you also have to decide on his position. Son is very versatile, as he can play up front, as an attacking midfielder, or as a wing forward.
He’s naturally drawn to the front two. You can combine the next big thing, Lee Kang-in (22-Paris Saint-Germain), with Hwang Hee-chan (27-Wolverhampton) and veteran Lee Jae-sung (31-Mainz), who have recently shown their goal-scoring prowess in the English Premier League (EPL). All are multiplayers who, like Son Heung-min, can play every position in the second line. 메이저놀이터
Of these, it will be interesting to see what the national coaching staff decides to do with Lee Kang-in, who started as a second striker against Tunisia, where he scored both his A-match debut and a multi-goal performance, before shifting to a more flank-oriented role in the second half and unleashing a goal storm.
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