Injured Park Chu-young to miss Asian Cup

By Yoon Chul

The South Korean national team has suffered a blow before competing in the Asian Cup after losing its reliable striker Park Chu-young.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Sunday that Park of AS Monaco has injured his right knee and the national team decided to call defender Hong Jung-ho of Jeju United instead as his replacement.

Park’s injury was the result of celebratory congratulations in a 2-1 win against Sochaux Montbeliard, Thursday (KST) in the French league.

After netting before the last stoppage time, he kneeled on the frozen ground in his usual praying stance after scoring.

His Monaco teammates jumped on top of him in glee and too much weight was put on the right knee, which Park felt was not in good shape due to the hard ground and a tough schedule, and it injured the Korean’s knee.

“Park told me in the examination that he heard a sound from his knee while kneeling as his teammates were climbing on top of him,” the national team doctor Song Joon-sub told Yonhap.

“On Christmas eve, Park was examined and I confirmed the injured part of his knee. There are many ways to heal but Park needs a break for at least more than four weeks,” Song said, implying Park wouldn’t appear in the Asian Cup scheduled to begin Jan. 7.

The grueling schedule has gradually weakened Park’s knee.

During the last two months he played 13 league games and the Guangzhou Asian Games including two extended games and his brilliant performance collecting nine goals with three assists never left him on the bench.

The national team manager Cho Kwang-rae, who aims to win the Asian Cup for the first time in 51 years, admitted the loss of Park will diminish the team a lot.

“We prepared the offense and put Park in center,” Cho said. “Yet, we will overcome this crisis rather than worry.”

Instead of Park, Cho is likely to send Ji Dong-won or Yoo Byung-soo as a striker.

The national team departed for Abu Dhabi, Sunday.

While the team gets accustomed to the climate and geographical aspects, Cho will make the last decision for the 23-roster after playing a friendly against Syria on Thursday.

The Taeguk Warriors are in Group C with Bahrain, Australia and India.

Park failed to join the final roster for the Asian Cup in 2007 and will miss the same event, again.