Cho Gue-sung's 'surprise' overhead kick → 'Aaa!' Hong Myung-bo's team atmosphere reaches 'all-time high'... Victory over Czech Republic → 'Sweet rest' planned [Guadalajara on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

Nothing boosts the atmosphere to its peak like a thrilling victory. Hong Myung-bo's team, which secured a stunning comeback win against the Czech Republic in the first group stage match, caught its breath with light recovery training and moved on to prepare for the second match.

The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, held its first training session since the match against the Czech Republic the previous day on the morning of the 12th (Korean time) at the team's training ground, Chivas Verde Valle, in Zapopan, Guadalajara, Mexico.

While the team focused entirely on rest and recovery instead of tactical drills, the atmosphere at the training ground, still charged with the energy of victory, was bright enough that laughter never ceased.

Today's training was conducted entirely as recovery training aimed at relieving player fatigue and managing their physical condition, with no tactical drills included.

According to a Korea Football Association official, the team decided to conduct recovery training on the day after a match during this tournament and grant the entire squad complete free time the following day. Accordingly, players are expected to rest for the day, meet with family members who have come to Guadalajara, enjoy meals, and take advantage of free outings.

A team official met at the training ground reported on the condition of players who had raised concerns due to injuries. Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City) conducted indoor training to prevent a recurrence of his ankle injury. It is reported that his physical condition is not poor, as he is currently able to participate in full-scale training.

In contrast, central defender Kim Tae-hyun (Kashima Antlers), who was unexpectedly excluded from the starting lineup two days before the match due to an ankle injury, was confirmed to be in much better condition than expected. Although there were initial speculations that he might be excluded from all group stage matches, he is expected to be able to play as early as the second match.

Training was conducted in two groups depending on the time each player spent in yesterday's match. Starting players who played nearly full time in the Czech Republic match appeared on the field wearing sneakers instead of football boots. After lightly jogging a few laps around the pitch to regulate their muscles and breathing, they performed only light exercises such as cycling and quickly finished training in about 40 minutes before heading indoors.

In contrast, Kim Moon-hwan, Park Jin-seop, Hwang Hee-chan, Cho Gue-sung, Jo Wi-je, Jens Castro, Kang Sang-yoon, Lee Dong-gyeong, Eom Ji-seong, Kim Jin-gyu, and Yang Hyun-jun, who played limited minutes or did not play in yesterday's match, remained on the pitch and carried out normal exercises.

Before engaging in full-scale mini-games, they warmed up by lightly playing one-bounce games. The players were full of playfulness and energy. Cho Gue-sung received the ball with a magnificent overhead kick, drawing cheers and laughter from his teammates, while conversely, when someone dropped the ball during the one-bounce game, Lee Dong-gyeong clenched his fist and shouted, maintaining a warm and friendly atmosphere.

The positional training and mini-games that followed also revealed a seriousness reminiscent of actual matches. In particular, during the mini-game, Hwang Hee-chan was designated as the neutral player for the attacking team in the first and third quarters, while Eom Ji-seong was assigned for the second quarter to serve as the playmaker. During the mini-game, a fierce battle ensued, such as when training partner Kang Sang-yoon attempted a sharp shot that was blocked by Yoon Ki-wook's miraculous save.

Hong Myung-bo's team, which started perfectly, activated its injury management and rest systems to bring the atmosphere to its peak. With a sweet day of rest ahead, the national team is now preparing for the second group stage match against host nation Mexico, which will take place in a week.

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*This content was translated by AI.