From the A-match to the K League pitch: Moreno's coaching staff continue player evaluations [Incheon on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Having concluded the four-match A-match schedule for September and October, Moreno's squad immediately begins preparations for the two-match series in November. As soon as the international break ended, they headed straight to K League venues to evaluate players.

South Korea national team goalkeeper coach Nico Bosch (Spain), assistant coach Cho Yong-hyung, and others visited Incheon Football Stadium on-site on the 9th, where Incheon United faced Pohang Steelers.

Among the players from both teams who took the field that day, the only player from Moreno's first squad called up for the September-October friendlies was Incheon center-back Kim Gun-hee.

Although Kim Gun-hee was the only player among those called up for the recent four-match A-match series to not play a single minute, he made a conspicuous start and played the full 90 minutes in front of the Lee Nal (CEO) team's coaching staff, leading his team to a scoreless victory.

The national team coaching staff who visited the venue likely not only re-evaluated Kim Gun-hee's performance but also checked the form of players from both teams who are at the national team level.

The match between the two teams ended in a 3-0 comprehensive victory for Incheon. Incheon midfielder Lee Min-hyuk delivered an outstanding performance with one goal and one assist, while Lee Chung-yong also shook the opponent's net with a long-range shot.

Kang Min-jun, a full-back for Pohang and a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, came on as a late substitute in the second half to run the pitch, while Incheon center-back Park Kyung-seop waited on the bench.

According to an official from Incheon United, the national team coaching staff who visited the venue that day met separately with Kim Gun-hee, who had previously been called up to the national team, to exchange greetings.

Additionally, goalkeeper coach Bosch happily reunited with Incheon center-back Juan Ibiza. Both are Spanish nationals and had formed a connection more than 10 years ago when they were respectively a player and a goalkeeper coach for Villarreal CF's C-team and B-team in the Spanish professional football league.

Since taking office, Manager Moreno and his coaching staff have consistently visited K League venues, and they plan to continue attending K League stadiums in person to evaluate players' performances going forward.

Moreno's squad is scheduled to play a two-match friendly series during the November A-match period starting on the 9th of next month. The opponent has not yet been decided, but they are pushing for an away friendly. The roster for Moreno's second squad is expected to be announced in early next month.

In particular, the two-match series next month will also be the final two matches that Manager Moreno is contractually obligated to lead. Previously, when the Korea Football Association entrusted Moreno with interim command, they signed a contract valid until November 27.

Subsequently, based on the performance and results of the September-October four-match friendly series (two wins, one draw, one loss) and the November two-match friendly series, the Korea Football Association will conduct an internal evaluation to decide whether Moreno's squad will lead the team at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in January next year.

After concluding the four-match friendly series against Uzbekistan on the 6th, Manager Moreno emphasized, "What I value most in the next call-up is the players' performance. It does not matter where they play or what their names are. What matters is their form at that moment and how they present themselves. It is important to deliver a performance that brings joy to fans and shows the image we pursue when entering the national team."

Regarding the possibility of calling up Asian Games gold medal members, he added, "There were many impressive players. I have not analyzed them in depth yet, but I will analyze them further going forward. If possible, I plan to watch them live as well. What I want the players to know is that the national team is always an open door. I hope they realize that if they show good performance, they can be called up at any time."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original