Toothless Korea still searches for first win
South Korea's head coach Jurgen Klinsmann smiles during an international friendly match against Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Thursday. AP-Yonhap
By John Duerden
On a steamy September night in Cardiff, South Korea were held to a goalless draw by Wales meaning that after five games in charge, Jurgen Klinsmann is still searching for a first win as head coach.
This may have been a first away game for the German but the unusual humidity in the Welsh capital was almost Seoul-like. Both teams have bigger tests to come, especially Wales. Prior to the game boss Rob Page said that the Korea test was a distraction for his team ahead of a must-win European Championships qualifier against Latvia on Monday.
Perhaps so but Page wanted a win as much as his counterpart. Korea has had a poor run of results but the hosts had recorded just one victory from their previous 12 appearances and before the game local journalists were saying that they expected that the visitors would be too good for the struggling home team.
It did not end that way. Wales should have won. Korea had the majority of possession but it was the home team who created the better chances and looked more dangerous in attack.
Korea passed the ball around the middle of Cardiff City Stadium but Wales were happy to sit back and let it happen. The team had the first chance and it was a good one as Kim Seung-gyu saved well from Harry Wilson at close range.
The Taeguk Warriors looked comfortable in possession and there was some sharp movement in attack in the first half but clear chances were hard to come by. There was a smart left-sided cross from Lee Ki-jae that just eluded Cho Gue-sing and Hong Hyun-seok. It then looked as if it was time for a Son Heung-min special but his shot was comfortably saved by Danny Ward. It was to be the team's only shot on target.
Korea started the second half brightly, getting into good positions but not quite finding the right final ball or electing not to shoot when a shot was on. Wales started to look more dangerous midway through the second half as Kieffer Moore headed against the post and then Nathan Broadhead had a shot that went just wide.
By the final ten minutes, Korea had faded as an attacking threat, not that there was much anyway, and when the team and coach look back on the game, they will regret not really testing the Wales goalkeeper. In the closing stages, it was Kim Seung-gyu who again was called into action to keep the home team at bay. The same Welsh journalists said after the full-time whistle that they were disappointed with Korea's forward play and expected more.
So did the fans back home. Korea head northeast to Newcastle to take on Saudi Arabia on Tuesday where it will be cooler but there is growing heat on Klinsmann to lead the team to victory for the first time under his tenure.