'Multi-goal explosion' Cho Gue-sung on high-altitude experience: "My mouth is extremely dry, but I will adapt quickly"

*This content was translated by AI.

Cho Gue-sung (28, Midtjylland) of Hong Myung-bo's squad scored multiple goals, boosting his match sharpness at high altitude.

Ranked 25th in the FIFA rankings, South Korea secured a 5-0 victory in a friendly match against 102nd-ranked Trinidad and Tobago held on the 31st at 10 a.m. (Korean time) at BYU South Field in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The win was built on multi-goals from Son Heung-min and Cho Gue-sung, and a penalty kick (PK) goal from Hwang Hee-chan.

Starting from the bench, Cho Gue-sung was substituted in during the 16th minute of the second half and scored multiple goals. In the 21st minute of the second half, during a counterattack, Lee Dong-gyeong penetrated the left flank and delivered a cross, which Cho Gue-sung leaped high to finish with a header.

In the 32nd minute of the second half, Lee Seong-woo immediately passed the ball cleared by the opposing goalkeeper straight to the center, and Cho Gue-sung connected with a precise non-stop shot to find the back of the net. With this, Cho Gue-sung scored his 11th and 12th goals in A-match internationals.

After the match, Cho Gue-sung shared his thoughts in an interview with a broadcast network, saying, "It's great to win with multiple goals and have the strikers record points."

Hong Myung-bo's team is currently conducting a pre-camp in Salt Lake City, at an altitude of 1,460 meters, in preparation for the 2026 North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup group stage matches to be held in Guadalajara, Mexico (altitude 1,571 meters). Regarding the unfamiliar high-altitude environment, Cho Gue-sung explained, "I felt the ball moving faster than usual. Physically, and I told the players that our mouths are extremely dry. I will adapt quickly."

The national team will face El Salvador on June 4 for the final pre-World Cup match check. Cho Gue-sung stated, "The match against El Salvador is the last friendly before the World Cup," and vowed, "I will finish well with a victory and head to the World Cup in good form."

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*This content was translated by AI.