'Son Heung-min·Cho Kue-sung multi-goal' watched by Oh Hyun-kyu, must prove his own 'World Cup starting spot'

*This content was translated by AI.

The Hong Myung-bo-led team will play the 'final friendly' before the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup. Their opponent is El Salvador, ranked 100th in the FIFA rankings. Considering the objective gap in team strength, this match is expected to be a decisive victory rather than a tactical or performance review, similar to the previous match against Trinidad and Tobago (102nd). Attention is focused on Oh Hyun-kyu (Besiktas JK), who rested during the Trinidad and Tobago match.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, will face El Salvador in a friendly match at 10 a.m. (Korean time) on the 4th in Salt Lake City, USA. This is the final friendly ahead of their first match of the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup against Czechia.

However, the objective gap in team strength is enormous. In terms of FIFA rankings, South Korea is 25th, while El Salvador is 100th. They are only two ranks behind Trinidad and Tobago, against whom South Korea previously secured a 5-0 victory. This is a consequence of the difficulty in finding a friendly opponent due to the pre-camp in the highlands of the United States to adapt to the high altitude of Mexico.

Just as the previous match against Trinidad and Tobago was, the match against El Salvador will inevitably focus more on high-altitude adaptation than on tactics or performance. Considering the objective gap in team strength, various attacking routes can be tested. If it is difficult to test the national team's competitiveness against strong teams, there is a need to boost the team's morale by scoring a large number of goals against weaker teams.

Attention is focused on Oh Hyun-kyu. Oh Hyun-kyu rested during the previous match against Trinidad and Tobago. Son Heung-min (LAFC) started as the lone striker at the front, and Cho Kue-sung (Midtjylland) was introduced as a substitute in the second half. Coincidentally, both Son Heung-min and Cho Kue-sung scored multi-goals. All players competing for the lone striker position alongside Oh Hyun-kyu in this World Cup smiled brightly with multi-goals.

Now it is Oh Hyun-kyu's turn. Although he has already shown a lot in So Sok-tim-gwa (CEO), he must personally prove that his condition is good even right before the World Cup to firmly secure coach Hong Myung-bo's trust. Only then can he continue not just as a backup for Son Heung-min, but also in the fierce competition for the World Cup starting spot. Given the clear objective gap in team strength, it is ultimately important to clearly demonstrate one's presence through attacking points. The most reliable method is, of course, goals.

It is not just Oh Hyun-kyu. Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic FC), who was in excellent condition with his club team right before the World Cup, is also preparing to play in this match against El Salvador after resting during the previous match against Trinidad and Tobago. Players who were substituted in during the Trinidad and Tobago match, such as Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), and played for about 30 minutes, are likely to be guaranteed more playing time this time. Depending on how much they can capture the 'Hong-sim' (Hong Myung-bo's heart) within the given opportunities, the utilization method for the North American World Cup may ultimately change.

Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who joined the team last due to his club schedule, is also expected to play as a substitute, if not as a starter, to adjust his condition on this day. After the match against El Salvador, the Hong Myung-bo-led team will finish their pre-camp schedule in the United States and move to the 'decisive battle ground' Mexico to embark on the final training. The first match of the World Cup will be against Czechia at 11 a.m. on the 12th in Guadalajara, Mexico.

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*This content was translated by AI.