AFC
Doha: Head coach Hwang Sun-hong has set his sights on an opening day win when Korea Republic take on United Arab Emirates in Group B of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024™ on Tuesday.
With Japan and China PR also in the group, Hwang said three points are a must if his side are to advance to the knockout stage.
“All the teams in our group are strong, and it’s the group of death, I acknowledge that,” said Hwang. “This is a competitive and intense group, so we will need to work hard to qualify for the knockout stage. The first match is very important and I will need to put all my energy into the game.
“We will be working as a unit for every match, and we will try our best for the entire tournament.”
Korea Republic will be missing several Europe-based players due to their club commitments but Hwang believes their replacements from the K League will rise to the occasion.
“Before the tournament, I travelled to Europe to negotiate with the clubs to release the players, but unfortunately they weren’t able to join the team. It’s frustrating and a shame, but as coaches we have backup plans, and we have no problems.
“On the other hand, the replacements are coming to Qatar a bit late, which is a difficult situation and I will have to overcome that as well. Hopefully, through the group stage, the players will become more organised as a team. I also hope that our players in the K-League will show their strength and capability throughout the tournament.”
UAE will be led by Marcelo Broli, who led his native Uruguay to their first FIFA U-20 World Cup title last year.
“We will be facing a strong Korea Republic team,” said Broli. “When I was with Uruguay, we also played against them, so I know the team.
“My ambition is to develop UAE football. I hope I can continue to develop players who can join the first team. Our strengths are our speed and physicality.”
Korea Republic v United Arab Emirates
Venue: Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium (Doha)
Kick-off: Tuesday, 18:30 (UTC+3)