'Son Heung-min as the lone striker controversy': Is Cho Gue-sung's card gaining attention, with increased importance for the South Africa match? [World Cup Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

With the final group stage match determining whether Hong Myung-bo's team will advance to the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup round of 32 just one day away, attention is focused on whether Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland), who made an impact in a short time after coming on as a substitute in the Mexico match, will see his role expand. This comes amid ongoing controversy over Son Heung-min (LAFC), who was selected as the lone striker in the front line for two consecutive matches but remained silent.

Under coach Hong Myung-bo, South Korea will face South Africa in the third group stage match of Group A at the Monterrey Stadium in Monterrey, Mexico, at 10 a.m. on the 25th (Korea time). South Korea, currently with 3 points (1 win, 1 loss), will advance to the round of 32 in second place if it secures at least a draw against South Africa (1 point). If South Korea loses to South Africa, the outcome of the Mexico vs. Czech Republic match being played at the same time will determine whether they advance. If South Korea loses to South Africa and the Czech Republic defeats Mexico, South Korea will be eliminated in fourth place in the group.

South Korea is ranked 25th in the FIFA rankings, while South Africa is 60th, a significant gap. Moreover, South Africa will be without two key players, including a central midfielder, due to suspension. South Korea's situation is absolutely favorable, as a draw is enough to advance to the round of 32. Football statistics outlet Opta also estimates South Korea's chances of advancing to the round of 32 at around 90%. Coach Hong Myung-bo plans to guard against complacency and prepare for the tournament journey by making 2 to 3 changes to the starting lineup.

It remains uncertain whether coach Hong Myung-bo will again utilize the 'Son Heung-min as the lone striker' card. In both the Czech Republic and Mexico matches, the coach started Son Heung-min and substituted him with Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas) in the early to mid-second half. While Son played a role in drawing out opponents and creating space, he showed frustration in the Czech Republic match by missing all six shots. A common opinion among former national team players such as Park Ji-sung and Ki Sung-yueng, as well as various foreign media and experts, is that to maximize Son Heung-min's abilities, he should be positioned on the wing rather than as the lone striker.

Naturally, attention is focused on who will be positioned as the lone striker if Son Heung-min moves to the wing or is taken out of the starting lineup. For now, Oh Hyeon-gyu is the most certain card, given his excellent performance with his club team this season and his goal-scoring record in the World Cup. However, Oh Hyeon-gyu is not the only option. Cho Gue-sung's card is also worth considering. If coach Hong Myung-bo can pull off a surprise card to catch South Africa off guard in the upcoming match, Cho Gue-sung as the lone striker could become one of the candidates.

He already made his presence felt in the Mexico match. Substituted in the 32nd minute of the second half, he threatened the opponent's goal with a decisive header in the late stages of the match. Although he did not convert the chance, it was a clear demonstration of how threatening Cho Gue-sung's height-based attacks could be. However, the tactic of crossing aimed at Cho Gue-sung was only employed in the final moments of the match, not immediately after his substitution, leading to deep regret. KBS commentator Lee Young-pyo pointed out, "It would have been better if plays like crosses or attempts to break through from both sides had come earlier. If they had started in the mid-second half, a goal could have been scored easily, but it's regrettable that they only came in the final moments."

Nevertheless, the key takeaway from the Mexico match is the confirmation of the power of the tactic of deploying a tall striker up front. Although it was somewhat late in the Mexico match, now that Cho Gue-sung is available, the team can more actively employ tactics involving crosses. Fortunately, South Africa's defense has no player capable of threatening Cho Gue-sung with his height. Cho Gue-sung also has a pleasant memory from four years ago at the Qatar World Cup, where he scored a brace against the African team Ghana.

Of course, the key task for the South Africa match is to safely secure advancement to the round of 32. However, given that advancement to the round of 32 is highly likely, preparation for the round of 32 tournament stage is also necessary. The controversy surrounding Son Heung-min's positioning as the lone striker in the group stage must also be addressed. Actively utilizing Cho Gue-sung's card, whether as a starter or a substitute, could be part of that effort. If Cho Gue-sung can directly avenge his frustration from the Mexico match with a goal against South Africa, it would be ideal.

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*This content was translated by AI.