Oh Hyun-kyu saved South Korea... The 'unsung hero' who saved Oh Hyun-kyu, who was on the verge of collapsing, shone [Guadalajara]

*This content was translated by AI.

As the South Korean national football team completed a comeback victory against Czech Republic in their first group stage match, the brilliant performance of the medical team behind Oh Hyun-kyu, the scorer of the winning goal, who fought through a 38-degree fever, has been revealed. If Oh Hyun-kyu (Besiktas) saved South Korea on the field, unseen heroes who restored the players' condition behind the scenes shone brightly.

The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, began recovery training on the morning of the 13th (local time) at Chivas Valle Verde, the national team's training ground in Zapopan, Guadalajara, Mexico, the day after their victory over Czech Republic.

At the training ground, Chief Physician Song Jun-seop and Chief of Medical Team Baek Jeong-guk of the national team met with reporters and provided detailed accounts of Oh Hyun-kyu's physical condition prior to the match, the process of overcoming it, the results of high-altitude acclimatization, and the recovery status of injured players.

Team Leader Baek explained Oh Hyun-kyu's sudden fever and diarrhea symptoms just before the match, stating, "Some players experienced mild diarrhea after traveling from the United States to Mexico. Oh Hyun-kyu also suffered from diarrhea as the match approached, leading to dehydration and subsequently a fever."

At the time, the situation was serious. It was reported that Oh Hyun-kyu found it difficult to get out of bed and even struggled to go to the bathroom, pleading, "I absolutely cannot play."

In response, Team Leader Baek stated, "Fortunately, the treatment method prepared in advance fit perfectly. After lunch, his recovery began, and by the time he arrived at the stadium, he had almost regained his normal condition."

Chief Physician Song Jun-seop focused on the psychological burden carried by the player. Dr. Song explained, "The causes of fever can be divided into stress, dehydration, and bacterial infections. We believe Oh Hyun-kyu's condition resulted from stress due to the pressure and responsibility of the World Cup stage, compounded by dehydration symptoms. Team Leader Baek appropriately administered antipyretics and implemented customized hydration measures, which temporarily lowered his fever and allowed him to deliver a strong performance."

Both medical staff identified the pre-match high-altitude acclimatization training emphasized by head coach Hong Myung-bo as the true driving force behind the second-half comeback. Dr. Song stated, "High-altitude environments are a physiological phenomenon that anyone experiences. The results of training while struggling in Salt Lake, USA, were proven in yesterday's second-half activity levels. Czech Republic, which did not undergo high-altitude acclimatization, appeared noticeably struggling. The analysis that World Cup success depends on high-altitude acclimatization proved accurate."

Meanwhile, the timeline for the return of injured players Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City) and Kim Tae-hyun (Kashima Antlers) has taken shape. Bae Jun-ho, who is recovering from an ankle injury, has now reached almost full recovery.

The condition of central defender Kim Tae-hyun, who injured his ankle just before the Czech Republic match and raised concerns, is far more positive than expected. Dr. Song stated, "Initially, we thought it was a serious injury and conducted a detailed examination locally. Due to poor MRI image quality, it was difficult to clearly assess the extent of ligament damage, but after checking bleeding and swelling 24 hours later, it was determined to be a typical sprain. We have informed the coaching staff that there should be no issues with his participation in future World Cup schedules."

However, the medical staff maintained an extremely cautious attitude regarding the return of both players. Dr. Song stated, "They are recovering smoothly now, but if it recurs at this stage, it means 'out of the World Cup.' We are approaching this step-by-step and cautiously expect they may appear on the field around the second or third group stage matches," promising thorough management.

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*This content was translated by AI.