▲ Son Hwa-yeon, forward on the South Korean women's football team for the FIFA Women's World Cup, speaks in an interview with the Korea Football Association (KFA) at Rydges Campbelltown Hotel in Campbelltown, Australia, on July 14, 2023, in this photo provided by the KFA. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ South Korean forward Son Hwa-yeon takes part in a training session for the FIFA Women's World Cup on a practice field at Thomas Hassall Anglican College in Middleton Grange, Australia, on July 14, 2023, in this photo provided by the Korea Football Association. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ Kang Chae-rim, forward on the South Korean women's football team for the FIFA Women's World Cup, poses outside Rydges Campbelltown Hotel in Campbelltown, Australia, after an interview with the Korea Football Association (KFA) on July 14, 2023, in this photo provided by the KFA. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ South Korean forward Kang Chae-rim takes part in a training session for the FIFA Women's World Cup on a practice field at Thomas Hassall Anglican College in Middleton Grange, Australia, on July 14, 2023, in this photo provided by the Korea Football Association. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

football-players

S. Korean forward ready to capitalize on 2nd chance at Women's World Cup

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- At the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, South Korean forward Son Hwa-yeon was rendered a spectator on the bench, unable to get any action as her team got knocked out of the group stage with three straight losses.

Son, 26, is back on the national team for this year's Women's World Cup in Australia, and she said Friday she wants to make the most of her second chance.

"I was really disappointed not to have played at the previous World Cup, but I am confident I will get a chance to play this time," Son said, in a video clip released by the Korea Football Association. Son's team has been training in Australia since Wednesday. Their first Group H match is against Colombia on July 25 in Sydney.

"I will be ready to leave everything on the pitch," Son continued. "I think I am the best-conditioned athlete on the team. I can use my speed to exploit space behind the opposing defense and also to help out on defense in transition."

Son has earned 49 caps so far and has been a mainstay since current head coach Colin Bell took the reins in the fall of 2019.

"He always tells me to 'run, run, run,'" Son said of Bell. "My job is to keep putting pressure on the opponents with my speed."

Another forward on the team, Kang Chae-rim, played in all three losses at the 2019 World Cup but was unable to find the back of the net. The 25-year-old said she is ready to change the narrative this year.

"I am less nervous and feel more confident going into this year's World Cup," Kang said. "I always try to picture myself scoring a goal at the World Cup and think about how I should celebrate if I do score. It's pretty exciting just to imagine these things."

While discussing the team's preparation for the tournament, Kang stuck to the company line.

"Everyone here, from players down to coaches, is focusing on Colombia," Kang said of South Korea's first opponent. "That's the only team we're thinking about at the moment."

After Colombia, South Korea will play Morocco on July 30 in Adelaide and Germany, world No. 2, on Aug. 3 in Brisbane.

Australia and New Zealand are co-hosts of the tournament, but South Korea will play every match, including knockout games if they get there, in Australia.

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