메이저사이트The Korean women’s football team’s quest to reach the round of 16 at the World Cup for the first time in eight years begins against Colombia.
Head coach Colleen Bell’s women’s team will take on Colombia at the Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney, Australia, on 25 June at 11:00 a.m. KST in their first Group H match at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia-New Zealand 2023.
The Socceroos will be looking to qualify for the tournament for the first time in eight years since Canada 2015. At the 2019 tournament in France, they were eliminated in the group stage after three matches.
South Korea have been preparing for this World Cup for a long time, with England coach Bell taking over after France 2019.
Bell, the first foreign coach in women’s football, has been working hard to prepare for the tournament with intense fitness training as her final goal.
The first game against Colombia will be crucial to reach the round of 16.
[SEOUL, South Korea] The South Korean women’s national football team trains ahead of their group stage match at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand at Campbelltown Stadium in Campbelltown, Australia, on 23 June (local time). (Photo courtesy of the Korea Football Association) 21 July 2023. photo@newsis.com *Resale and DB prohibited
Germany, ranked second in the FIFA rankings and one of the strong favourites to win the tournament, are tipped to top Group H, while South Korea (17th) and Colombia (25th) will battle for second place. Morocco, ranked 72nd, are making their first World Cup appearance.
On paper, the winner of the Korea-Colombia matchup will likely have the upper hand in the battle for second place.
The Colombians have a formidable attacking line and are characterised by a level of play that goes beyond aggression to roughness. Physicality is a fundamental part of their game.
Notably, in a closed trial against Ireland on the 15th, Colombia’s rough play led to the game being abandoned after just 20 minutes. Irish midfielder Denis O’Sullivan was taken to hospital.
While rough play has been a hot topic in the lead-up to the tournament, there is plenty of quality on the pitch.
[SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) – The South Korean women’s football team trains ahead of their group stage match at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023 at Campbelltown Stadium in Campbelltown, Australia, on 23 June. (Photo courtesy of the Korea Football Association) 2023.07.21. photo@newsis.com *Resale and DB prohibited
Despite being ranked below South Korea, they reached the final of the Copa America (South American Football Championship) last year.
They also improved their organisation in the pre-World Cup trials. Last month, they played Farmana twice, drawing 1-1, and on the 17th, they drew 2-2 with China, one of Asia’s strongest teams.
It’s an inevitable opponent for the round of 16. Bell’s focus was on Colombia early on.
“Right now we’re just thinking about winning the first game against Colombia,” he said before leaving the country on the 10th. “It would be great to have a good performance and a result, but now it’s about getting a result, even if it’s not a good performance. As I said before, the most important thing for us is to win.”