The matchup of the Korean national soccer team’s tournament, aiming for the top spot in Asia, is not bad.
South Korea,스포츠토토 ranked 27th in the FIFA rankings, is Malaysia (138th), Jordan (84th), and Bahrain (2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qatar Asian Cup group draw held at the Katara Opera House in Doha, Qatar on the 11th). 85th place) were tied in Group E.
A total of 24 countries will be drawn into 6 groups of 4 teams in the Asian Cup. The 1st and 2nd placed teams in each group and the 4 best performing teams among the 3rd placed teams form the Round of 16 tournament. It was originally planned to be held in China this coming summer. However, in the aftermath of Corona 19, the hosting rights were returned, and Qatar became the new host country.
Korea is thirsty for the Asian Cup. It prides itself on being the best in Asia, but it has never been able to stand on top of Asia since 1960. After winning two consecutive victories from the first tournament in 1956, winning was a different story. Cha Beom-geun, Park Ji-sung, Son Heung-min, etc. were put forward, but the relationship did not reach.
Coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who took over Korea after the World Cup, also set winning the Asian Cup as his first goal. He mentioned his importance at the inaugural press conference in March, saying, “I have a goal of winning the Asian Cup, and I want to be evaluated as a result.”
Passing through the group stage comes first, but the matchup in the tournament is also important to regain the top spot for the first time in 64 years. Assuming that there are no major surprises, the match itself is not bad.
In terms of objective strength, Korea is highly likely to take first place in Group E. If you advance to the round of 16 with 1st place, you will face the 2nd place in Group D. Group D includes Japan (20th), Indonesia (149th), Iraq (67th) and Vietnam (95th). Iraq is strong in terms of strength and FIFA rankings.
If Korea advances to the quarterfinals beyond Iraq, it will face off against the winner of the top 3 teams in Groups A/B/F and 1st place in Group C. Iran (24th) is likely to rank first in Group C. It is an opponent who has produced several desperate matches in the Asian Cup. If Korea beats Iran, it is expected that the final will be much easier as there is no opponent comparable to him.
It is forbidden to be careless, but when you look at the situation on the other side, you nod your head. If Japan, Australia (29th) and Saudi Arabia (54th), who belong to pot 1, take first place in the group, a bloody battle will unfold between them.
Of course, this is assuming that there are no surprises. For the best scenario, Korea should do well first, and other strong teams should not be caught. If Korea is pushed to second place in the group, it may move to the opposite bracket where the winning candidate is outnumbered. Also, if Korea plays well but Japan is pushed back to second place in the group, a fateful match between Korea and Japan may unfold in the round of 16.
We looked at the best and worst scenarios, but the most important thing is that Korea proves its qualifications as a candidate for the championship. Heung-Min Son (Tottenham Hotspur), Kang-In Lee (Mallorca), Min-Jae Kim (Napoli), etc., must defeat whoever the opponent is to win the title of the best in Asia. It is a way to splendidly decorate the coronation that was postponed for 64 years.
<2023 Qatar Asian Cup grouping>
A – Qatar (61st), China (81st), Tajikistan (109th), Lebanon (99th) B
– Australia (29th), Uzbekistan (74th), Syria (90th), India (101st)
C – Iran (24th), UAE (72nd), Hong Kong (147th), Palestine (93rd) D
– Japan (20th), Indonesia (149th), Iraq (67th), Vietnam (95th)
E – Korea (27th), Malaysia (138th), Jordan (84th), Bahrain (85th) F
– Saudi Arabia (54th), Thailand (114th), Kyrgyzstan (96th), Oman (73rd)