'Excluding Lee Kang-in' Coach Moreno's Debut Match Already Features a 'Surprise Starter'... 'K-League Elite Winger' Selected [Suwon Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korean national football team, led by new coach Roberto Moreno of Spain, has unveiled a somewhat unconventional lineup for its debut match. Alongside the exclusion of ace Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid), significant changes were made across the second line, midfield, and wide defensive positions.

The Republic of Korea national football team will face Ecuador in a Hana Bank Invitational Friendly Match at 8 p.m. on the 24th at Suwon World Cup Stadium.

The most notable absence is Lee Kang-in's non-participation. After joining the national team following the Madrid derby, Lee Kang-in focused solely on recovery during training the day before the match due to jet lag and accumulated fatigue. Ultimately, Coach Moreno opted for rest over a risky appearance, completely excluding Lee Kang-in from the squad for the Ecuador match.

With Lee Kang-in out, it is expected that Song Min-gyu (CD Nacional) or Jeong Seung-won (FC Seoul) will fill the void on the right wing, where Lee Kang-in had recently reached peak destructive power both for the national team and his club Atletico.

In line with Lee Kang-in's absence, experimental cards were heavily included in the midfield and overall offensive-defensive lineup. While a front two of Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas) was anticipated, the composition of the second line and midfield came as a surprise.

In particular, Jeong Seung-won's starting selection has drawn attention. Having scored 8 goals and provided 6 assists for Seoul this season while displaying peak condition, Jeong Seung-won earned a surprise starting opportunity wearing the national team jersey for the first time since the EAFF E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup) last July. Considering the nature of the East Asian Cup, which does not call up players from European leagues, this is effectively his true debut on a formal A-match stage with a full-strength squad.

On the opposite wing, Song Min-gyu has been deployed. Recently embarking on his first-ever challenge in Europe, Song Min-gyu has played two matches in Portugal's top division and is now fully adapting to the new environment.

The midfield's organizational role has also been restructured. Park Jin-seop (Zhejiang FC), who was primarily used as a center-back for Ji Nan (CEO), has been positioned as his original main position, defensive midfielder, to anchor the defense. Park Jin-seop has recently been active in the familiar midfield with his club team.

The shock continued in the defensive line. Cho Hyun-taek (Ulsan HD), selected as a wide defender, is a key resource who has played 28 K-League matches this season and has been performing brilliantly as Ulsan's core left-back. Like Jeong Seung-won, Cho Hyun-tak had only participated in the East Asian Cup last year; through this Ecuador match, he will record his second-ever A-match appearance in his career.

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*This content was translated by AI.