In this file photo from Feb. 6, 2024, Yang Hyun-jun of South Korea falls to the pitch against Jordan during the teams’ semifinal match at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Apr. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Celtic FC forward Yang Hyun-jun will not be able to compete for South Korea at the upcoming Olympic men’s football qualifiers due to a club commitment, the national football federation said Friday, a big blow to the country’s pursuit of a spot in the Paris Summer Games.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Yang’s Scottish side has declined to release the 21-year-old player for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup, citing club-related reasons.
Head coach Hwang Sun-hong selected Incheon United winger Hong Si-hoo as Yang’s replacement.
The announcement came only hours before Hwang’s team was to travel to Dubai to set up training camp for the AFC tournament, which kicks off in Qatar on April 15. It will double as the AFC qualifying tournament for the Paris Olympics, with the top three teams earning their tickets to France and the fourth-place team facing Guinea in a playoff.
Hong Si-hoo of Incheon United celebrates his team’s 2-0 win over Daejeon Hana Citizen in a K League 1 match at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, just west of Seoul, on March 30, 2024, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Yang was one of five overseas-based players Hwang named to his squad last Friday. Yang would have been a key piece for South Korea’s offense thanks to his combination of speed and power. Yang has also earned three caps for the senior national team, including two during the AFC Asian Cup held earlier this year in Qatar.
However, it was still not a certainty that Yang and others coming from foreign leagues would be able to join the national team. The AFC tournament isn’t part of the FIFA international match calendar, and that means clubs aren’t under any obligation to release their Asian players for the occasion.
Celtic are trying to hold off Rangers for their third straight Scottish Premiership title, leading their rivals 74-73 in points but with Rangers having one match in hand.
At the AFC tournament, South Korea will play in Group B against the United Arab Emirates, China and Japan.
South Korea have played at every Olympic men’s football tournament since the under-23 age limit was put in place in 1992.
(Yonhap)
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