Women’s football Group H clashes today
Victory over Colombia could mean a place in the last 16
Bell calls for high-pressure training
“We’re going to show them something unexpected”토토사이트
The South Korean women’s football team, backed by ‘steel’, will be looking for their first win at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia-New Zealand 2023 when they take on Colombia, a team with a reputation for toughness. Given the quality of the other teams in Group H, a win against Colombia will virtually guarantee South Korea a place in the round of 16.
South Korea, led by head coach Colin Bell, will take on Colombia in their first Group H match at the Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on 25 June. “Colombia is a very strong team and it will be a difficult game,” Bell said at the official press conference on the 24th, “but I think our team is ‘top’. We will show you an unexpected game,” he said, expressing confidence.
South Korea is ranked 17th in the FIFA rankings, while Colombia is 25th. However, Colombia is a powerhouse, having finished runners-up in last year’s Copa America. Germany (No. 2) is classified as a strong favourite, while Morocco (No. 72) is making its first appearance at the World Cup. “Whoever wins the match between South Korea and Colombia will likely finish second in Group H behind Germany and advance to the round of 16,” said Fox Sports in the US.
Leading up to the tournament, Colombia gained notoriety for their rough play. A closed trial against Ireland on the 15th was abandoned just 20 minutes into the game. The Irish side said the game could not continue due to the high risk of injury to players due to strong tackles.
South Korea will try to counter Colombia’s physicality with physicality. Coach Bell has been conducting ‘high-intensity training’, emphasising the need to be able to put pressure on the opposition for 90 minutes. Earlier this month, the team used a second-half fitness advantage to come from behind to win 2-1 against Haiti in an exhibition match against a ‘virtual Colombia’.
Colombia are also expected to play a physical, physical game and use quick attacks from the flanks. As the UK’s Guardian pointed out, “Colombia’s lack of goal-scoring prowess is offset by their short passing and nimble movement.” In addition to physical fitness, Bell has also been working on defensive drills to prevent counter-attacks.
In the early stages of the match, Korea will have to withstand a physical Colombia attack. Korea’s ‘ace’ Ji So-yeon (Suwon FC) said, “We will be tough. The first 20 minutes will be crucial,” she said, adding, “We need to hold on to the ball and then attack with precision when our opponents’ physical strength drops.”
South Korea and Colombia reached the round of 16 side-by-side at the 2015 tournament in Canada, their best results ever. Both teams are looking to advance beyond the round of 16 to their first-ever quarter-final appearances.