When the Klinsmanns meet Jordan again in the Asian Cup quarterfinals in Qatar on Sunday at 7:00 p.m., the question will be how to fill the void left by the accumulation of cautions for defensive core Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich). Jordan scored the first two goals in their previous group match, which also featured Kim, to take control of the game. It will be interesting to see what defensive tactics Jürgen Klinsmann brings to the table.
Jordan’s biggest strength is its flanking attacking resources, with the likes of Musa Altamari (Montpellier) and Ali Olwan (Al-Shamal SC) combining skill and speed. Altamari, in particular, is one of the best wingers in the French Ligue 1 and was a constant source of trouble for the South Korean defense in the group stage. While Olwan will miss the tournament due to accumulated cautions, Altamari should be available for the quarterfinals. With wingbacks like Mahmoud Al-Mardi (Al-Hussein SC) playing high up the pitch and adding to the attacking numbers, South Korea struggled to defend the flanks. Kim Min-Jae’s dominance in delivery and physicality helped them hold on for a draw after going two goals down early.
In the quarterfinals, the key will be how to stop Jordan’s powerful flanking attack. Against this, Klinsmann is likely to deploy a backline centered on players from the K League 1 Ulsan HD. In the back four, veteran left-footed defender Kim Young-kwon is expected to take over the left center back spot from Kim Min-jae. Kim has been getting more playing time since starting against Malaysia in the final group game. He has a lot of experience on the big stage, including the World Cup, and his buildup ability is among the best in the K League, so he’ll be a key player to fill the void left by Kim Min-jae.
At right center back, Jung Seung-hyun will likely start. Jung is on the verge of a move to a club in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but he played alongside Kim Young-kwon at Ulsan until last season, so he shouldn’t have too many problems with chemistry.
At fullback, Seol Young-woo and Kim Tae-hwan are the favorites. Kim Tae-hwan moved to Jeonbuk this season, but was a longtime member of Ulsan until last season. In addition, goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo is also from Ulsan, so there shouldn’t be any problems with the defense being organized.
Klinsmann also hinted at unconventional defensive tactics to make up for Kim Min-jae’s absence. He mentioned the possibility of dropping defensive midfielders Park Jin-seop (Jeonbuk) or Park Yong-woo (Al Ain) to form a back three. In fact, he had already utilized Park 파워볼사이트 추천 Yong-woo as part of the back three in the previous match against Australia. In the round of 16 match against Saudi Arabia, they even went with a back three in their starting defense, so it’s definitely an option. Park Yong-woo also played for Ulsan before joining Al Ain in July last year, so he should have no problem working with the back four.
The destructive power of the national team’s European attacking line of Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Son Heung-min (Tottenham), and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) has been on the rise in the tournament.
In the quarterfinals, all eyes will be on the team’s organization and strategic flexibility to overcome the absence of defensive nucleus Kim Min-jae. A competitive win without Kim would be a morale booster for the team. The anticipation for the final will be even greater when Kim returns after a full rest.