Stielike-led Korean team eases past Myanmar
.jpg?w=728)
South Korea’s Son Heung-min, center, fights for the ball during his team’s game against Myanmar during Group G qualifying match for the 2018 FIFA World Cup at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. / AP-Yonhap
By John Duerden
South Korea has not officially progressed to the final round of qualification for the 2018 World Cup but, in reality, nothing is going to stop the Taegeuk Warriors. On Thursday evening at Suwon World Cup Stadium, the host defeated Myanmar 4-0 to make it five wins from five in Group G. Only the eight group winners are sure to advance and Korea is sure to be one of that octet.
Myanmar was never going to prevent Uli Stielike's men but there was some frustration that the game was not killed off a lot earlier than it was. After all, Kuwait (the team in second in the group but now suspended by FIFA and no longer participating) thrashed the White Angels 9-0.
Lee Jae-sung opened the scoring after just 13 minutes. The Jeonbuk Motors attacking midfielder has looked increasingly comfortable on the international stage and beat the offside trap, collected a long ball just inside the area and then shot home with the coolest of finishes. Shortly after, Jang Hyun-soo smashed a penalty against the post. He breathed a sigh of relief in the 26th minute when Koo Ja-cheol headed home a cross from his Augsburg team-mate Ji Dong-won.
Everyone sat back and awaited more goals but they did not come. Stielike opted to give Seongnam star Hwang Ui-jo a start in the middle of attack. The 23-year-old was lively and tricky but his finishing skills were as frustrating as any of the long line of Korean strikers that had gone before him.
The goals may have dried up but the game was still one-sided. Myanmar had the occasional moment, causing a few hearts to stop early in the second half with a set piece, but mostly the visitor was limited to working hard and refusing to make it easy for the host.
The third goal did not come until the 82nd minute when Jang redeemed himself by heading home a free-kick from Son Heung-min. The Tottenham Hotspur forward, just recovered from injury, came on as a second-half substitute and was soon involved again. He linked with Nam Tae-hee outside the area with some lovely interplay, helping Nam to burst through to make it 4-0. This was a score line more reflective of the Korean dominance.
“It was a good win in our last home game of the year,” said Son, who has not started a game for Spurs since September due to a foot injury. “I am feeling good and am looking forward to the next game against Laos. It is not easy to score against defensive teams but we have some tough tests coming up and need to be ready.”
That is the problem. Korea is progressing to the final round of qualification with ease. It is all a bit too easy and is not exactly perfect preparation for possible games against Japan, Australia and Iran. Surely coach Stielike is happy with the perfect record but would like to have been pushed a little more.
That is not going to happen in the next game in Laos. Korea will go there on Tuesday and win, and the only question is how many goals will be scored against a team defeated 8-0 in September on home soil.
There is nothing anyone can do. Korea needs some tougher tests but at the moment, these are nowhere to be found. So the Taegeuk Warriors march on and it is only a matter of time before that place in the final round is officially confirmed and then qualification for the 2018 World Cup will really get going.