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| Photo =Korea Football Association |
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| Suwon=Lee Hyun-seok Reporter |
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'Korea Women's Soccer Legend' Ji So-yeon was even thinking about the future of the national team.
South Korea's women's soccer A team (21st in FIFA rankings), led by head coach Shin Sang-woo, drew 2-2 in the first match against China (17th in FIFA at the 2025 E-1 Championship at Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 9th.
It was a result of overcoming inferiority. Korean women's soccer has struggled greatly against China. The opponent's record against China was 4 wins, 9 draws and 29 losses, and he has no memory of winning for 10 years since his 1-0 victory at the East Asian Cup on August 1, 2015. He had four draws and seven losses in 11 games during that period. Most recently, they drew 1-1 in the second Asian qualifying round for the Paris Olympics on November 1, 2023, frustrating their long-awaited advance to the Olympics.
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| Photo =Korea Football Association |
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In the match, South Korea led the game against China. He created several threatening scenes with excellent activity. However, it was not easy to score, and it was following China. Jang Seul-ki's equalizer was scored after losing a point early in the first half. After losing a point in the second half, the equalizer did not break out until extra time, and the defeat was heavy. But Ji So-yeon saved the team. Just before the end, Ji So-yeon's mid-range shot shook the Chinese net and succeeded in a dramatic draw.
Despite scoring a dramatic equalizer, there was a lot of regret about the game. Ji So-yeon "I had some chances in the first half today. If I saved it, it could have been an easy game, but I still lost points in the second half and played a difficult game." Then "I had a tough game with China. It is encouraging that he lost and even tied the game. There are a lot of young players, and I hope they will grow a lot while experiencing a lot of A matches."
The weather, which reached the maximum temperature of 36 degrees Celsius on the day, was a variable that could hamper the players. However, despite the hot weather, the Korean national team players did not stop running on the ground until the last minute of the second half. Ji So-yeon "I'm playing in summer in Korea for the first time in a while. LA is hot, New York is hot, but Korea seems to be hotter. I was surprised again after today's game. I think there is a good synergy effect because a lot of young players run. It's a weather you can't press for the whole 90 minutes. Even though it was 8 p.m., I tried to put more pressure on it when it was very humid and I couldn't breathe, but I couldn't physically do that. "
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| Photo =Korea Football Association |
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The biggest concern for the Korean women's soccer A team is the generational change. All of the main players, including Ji So-yeon, who is already in her mid-30s, Jang Seul-ki, Lee Young-joo, and Choi Yu-ri, are still in their prime, but the growth of young players is urgent because they may not feel awkward anytime it ends. Coach Shin Sang-woo also actively selected young players for a generational change after taking office, and also decided to include four 2000s students only on the starting list.
However, he stressed that young players still need to grow further. Ji So-yeon said, `To be honest, we need to improve our personal skills,' adding, `Young players came in at a time when veteran players were dropped due to injuries. There is still a bit of a difference. I'm trying a lot to narrow the difference. There are more young players going overseas, so if you grow up and come back to the national team, you will be stronger."
Then "I have more experience in the national team than anyone else. So I'm going to share my experiences with young players. Just because you go abroad doesn't mean you're good at it. Still, there are many great players overseas, so you naturally improve your skills by watching the players. They keep saying good things," he added.
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| Photo =Korea Football Association |
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Ji So-yeon has consistently joined the national team since she was first selected for the national team in 2006 at the age of just 15. This year, only the national team has been playing for 20 years. It may be a little too much because he has been in place for a long time, but there was still a sense of responsibility in Ji So-yeon's mind.
Ji So-yeon "I'm getting older now. Next year, it's almost a fossil in its 20th year. I've been here for too long, and it's an honor. I'm trying to attract as many young players as possible. The national team tries to remind us that it is an honor, so that we can perform well even at the Asian Cup or World Cup. I'm still fine, but I don't know what next year will be like. He said, "I'm talking a lot every time I call up as soon as possible."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
