“It’s a good matchup for us.”
Jurgen Klinsmann (59), coach of the national soccer team, was satisfied with the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup grouping. An easy start is expected.
As a result of the Asian Cup group draw held in Doha, Qatar on the 11th, Korea, ranked 27th in the FIFA rankings, was in Group E with Jordan (84th), Bahrain (85th) and Malaysia (138th). South Korea was placed in a safe group, avoiding Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman, which belong to Pot 2.
In the Asian Cup, Korea토토사이트, a strong contender, has a good chance of advancing to the tournament as top of the group. We cannot rule out surprises, but it is true that we have an objective advantage over the three teams in the same group. As Korea is aiming for the championship, it is a situation where it has to look far into the tournament as well as the group stage.
A bloodless entry into the finals would be the best scenario, but in this matchup, the tournament is expected to be a thorny field. This is because there is a possibility of meeting Japan, the rival of destiny, and Iran, the ‘difficult enemy’. Of course, if there is no change, we will only meet Japan in the final. However, if Japan finishes the group stage in second place, a match between Korea and Japan in the round of 16 can be concluded.
If the tournament starts with a strong team taking first place in the group as expected, Korea will face Iran in the quarterfinals. Of course, it is a face-to-face confrontation that can be concluded only when both teams pass the group stage first and advance to the quarterfinals. However, it is true that there is a high probability that the quarterfinals will be a turning point for Klinsmann.
If they meet Iran in the quarterfinals and win, it will be relatively easy to reach the final. This is because in the scenario where a strong team rises to the top of the group stage, the championship candidates Japan, Australia, and Saudi Arabia are on the opposite side of the bracket.
“At last year’s World Cup, Saudi Arabia beat Argentina, and Japan beat Germany and Spain,” Klinsman said. Iran and Australia also performed well in the World Cup. There are many strong teams (in the Asian Cup), but our goal is to win.”
The Asian Cup, which will be held in Qatar, will open on January 12 next year. Korea, which is aiming for its first Asian title in 64 years, will play its first group match against Bahrain on January 15, before clashing with Jordan and Malaysia in turn.