 |
| ▲ South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu attends a press conference at Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 15, 2023, on the eve of a friendly match against Peru, in this photo provided by the Korea Football Association. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲ South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu trains for a friendly match against Peru at Gudeok Stadium in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on June 14, 2023, in this photo provided by the Korea Football Association. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
football-goalkeeper
Nat'l team goalkeeper hoping to keep Peru scoreless behind new defenders
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- As South Korea's first-choice goalkeeper for most of the past five years, Kim Seung-gyu has often played behind the trusted center back duo of Kim Min-jae and Kim Young-gwon.
Rare has been a match when at least one of them didn't play in front of Kim Seung-gyu. But on Friday night against Peru, South Korea will be without both. Kim Min-jae, recently named Serie A's best defender after helping Napoli to their first Italian league title in 33 years, is completing his military training this month. Kim Young-gwon recently hurt his right quad playing for Ulsan Hyundai FC in the K League 1, and head coach Jurgen Klinsmann kept him off the squad.
At his prematch press conference held on the eve of the Peru match, Kim Seung-gyu said he sees an opportunity where others may see trouble brewing.
"We will have some new faces on the backline, but I will try to have a clean sheet," the 32-year-old goalkeeper said at Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul. "That way, we will have more confidence with this group of players if we get to play together again. No one can predict how the lineup will change in the future."
Kim Min-jae has 49 caps and Kim has 102 caps. On the current squad, the four center backs -- Park Ji-su, Park Kyu-hyun, Jung Seung-hyun and Kim Ju-sung -- have a combined 26 caps. Park Kyu-hyun, who plays for the third-tier German club Dynamo Dresden, has zero experience, and Kim Ju-sung, a steady force for FC Seoul, has only played in one international match.
Kim Seung-gyu, who will serve as temporary captain Friday in the absence of Son Heung-min, who is recovering from sports hernia surgery, said he wants to put his arm around new teammates.
"I don't think I need to tell them to focus and work hard. They are all great players on their respective teams, and I think they will handle themselves really well," Kim said. "My job is to make them feel comfortable so that they can show what they're capable of on the pitch."
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
