“I think we were too loose (in the first half). We weren’t 100 percent prepared mentally. One small play led to another, and the problems just kept snowballing. But we were able to bear down in the second half and played with better focus, which I think led to a good result.”
- Son Heung-min, football player of South Korean team and Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen
Son Heung-min, the dynamic star for Bayer Leverkusen and a key player for South Korean team, was named the man of the match as he controlled play even though he didn’t score a goal. (image: KFA)
SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0 on January 4 in its final warm-up match ahead of the AFC Asian Cup, which is being held in Australia.
Son Heung-min, the dynamic star for Bayer Leverkusen and a key player for South Korean team, was named the man of the match as he controlled play even though he didn’t score a goal.
The 22-year-old battled with Saudi Arabian players right and left with bursts of speed and dangerous strikes. He has been enjoying a fine season in the Bundesliga, with 11 goals in 26 matches in all competitions.
The 2015 Asian Cup, with 16 nations divided into four groups, will kick off on January 9 with a Group A match between host Australia and Kuwait in Melbourne. South Korea, ranked 69th in the world, is also in Group A and will open its tournament on January 10 against Oman in Canberra.
By M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
