Injured defender recovering quickly, available in group stage
ZAPOPAN, Mexico — On the heels of their opening victory at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, South Korea received some encouraging news on the injury front on Friday. Defender Kim Tae-hyeon, dealing with an ankle injury that some feared could keep him out of the group stage, will be available as early as next Thursday for South Korea's second Group A match against Mexico. Kim picked up the injury during a training session Tuesday at Chivas Verde Valle in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, and a national team official told reporters the next day that the left-footed center back may miss the entire group stage -- which ends on June 24 for South Korea. However, Song Jun-seob, the senior team doctor, said Friday that Kim's injury wasn't serious as once feared. "The initial MRI confirmed a ligament tear but the picture wasn't clear enough for us to determine the exact degree," Song said. "We checked his swelling 24 hours later and determined that it was an average sprain. So we told the coaching staff that he should be able to play at the World Cup." Kim is one of just two left-footed center backs on the
