Coach Lee Min-sung has declared his aim to win a fourth consecutive gold medal with South Korea's U-23 team at the Asian Games. South Korea currently sits 3rd in their World Cup qualifying group with 3 points from 3 games (1 win, 2 losses).
Lee Min-sung will lead the under-23 national team at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Four members of the senior FIFA World Cup squad from this summer have joined his Asian Games roster. The team is training at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, about 90 kilometers south of Seoul, with Europe-based players set to link up in Japan.
What have the recent results been like
South Korea did not dominate at the AFC U-23 Asian Cup in January. They narrowly edged past Iran, Lebanon and Uzbekistan before losing 1-0 to Japan in the semifinals, a side comprised mostly of under-21 players. Lee Min-sung said, "It has not been all smooth sailing up to this point, but I am sure that experience will help us in the long run." He believes players who went through the Asian Cup period learned valuable lessons. In World Cup qualifying, South Korea's recent form shows 3 wins and 2 losses from their last five matches (LLWWW), having lost their last two. They have scored 2 goals and conceded 3 in the campaign so far.
How is the Asian Games group stage set up
South Korea landed in Group D for the Asian Games alongside Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Teams in Group D will play one fewer match than those in the other three groups, as only three teams are in the group. The top two teams from each of the four groups advance to the quarterfinals. Lee noted that the team has not yet played a game with their full squad available. For a recent Tuesday training session, only 14 of his 23 players, all based in the domestic K League, were present. Players like Bae Jun-ho of Stoke City and Kim Ji-soo of Brentford will join the squad in Japan.
What preparations are being made for gold
Lee Min-sung emphasized they will try to address their weaknesses and win the gold medal. He advised the team to play their own game and not worry excessively about opponents. The team's recent momentum has been checked, including a 1-0 loss to South Africa in a friendly on June 25th. The coach, however, expects a different look once the full squad is assembled. The national team's next fixture is a home friendly against Ecuador on September 24th. Fans can track all upcoming matches on our fixtures page.
How does this connect to the World Cup team
The inclusion of four World Cup players provides a significant boost in experience for the U-23 side. These players can translate the intensity of a major international tournament to the Asian Games squad. Currently 3rd in the World Cup standings, South Korea trails leaders Mexico by 6 points. A strong performance in Nagoya could build confidence for the broader player pool ahead of crucial qualifiers. How quickly the team gels under Lee's guidance will be key. The full composition of the squad can be seen on our squad page.
The Asian Games kick off later this month, with South Korea's first group match scheduled after the final draw.
