Left back Min-woo hopes South Korea will carry good form into World Cup

Daegu (South Korea), May 29 (IANS): South Korean left back Kim Min-woo on Tuesday said he hoped that the national football team can carry on its winning form at the 2018 FIFA World Cup following their 2-0 win over Honduras in a friendly match.

Kim played in South Korea’s 2-0 win over Honduras on Monday. He was a second substitute in the match, replacing his Sangju Sangmu teammate Hong Chul in the 56th minute, reports Yonhap news agency.

“Through yesterday’s match, we earned big confidence,” Kim said ahead of a training session here.

“It’s also positive that we had a clean sheet. Through yesterday’s victory, we will try to play football that we planned for the World Cup.”

Kim, 28, said head coach Shin Tae-yong ordered the players to do their jobs aggressively on the pitch.

“Shin told us to go forward when we get a chance,” he said.

“For defence, he asked us to block the opponents from the front.”

Shin is expected to announce his final World Cup roster of 23 players after playing a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Jeonju, North Jeolla province, on Friday.

Kim Min-woo will have to vie for one of the spots on the final roster with Hong Chul, Park Joo-ho and Kim Jin-soo, who is currently sidelined due to a knee injury.

Kim said he is thinking positively about competition with his teammates for the roster cut.

“Competition is natural here. But that is why we also work hard to be better and become a better team,” he said.

The match against Honduras was preparation for South Korea’s meeting with Mexico at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In Russia, the Koreans are in Group F, along with Sweden, Mexico and Germany.

“Compared to Mexico, Honduras may not be a strong team, but they’re still a good team. We still have to improve things to play our style of football,” he said.

Kim and Hong are the two soldiers on South Korea’s provisional World Cup squad as they play for military club Sangmu in the K League 1.

Kim, however, has a lower rank than Hong because he was conscripted later. Kim is currently a private first class, while Hong is a corporal.

“I also want to display a soldier’s mindset on the pitch because I’m a private class,” he said.