The two countries will participate in the Asian Cup soccer competition, which will kick off in Qatar on Wednesday. Korea is aiming at its first championship in 64 years since 1960. Japan is aiming for its first championship in 13 years after 2011.
Each of Korea and Japan is evaluated as having the strongest capability ever. Korea, ranking 23rd in the FIFA rankings, defeated Iraq (63rd) by a score of 1-0 in an A match evaluation match held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. The team has thus achieved a winless streak in seven consecutive A matches, including six consecutive wins.
Japan (17th) is also showing strong momentum. At an exhibition match against Thailand (113th) held at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Sunday, the team won a complete game 5-0. This victory continued Japan’s nine consecutive A-match winning streak since the match against El Salvador (6-0) in June last year. Among Japan’s consecutive wins were victories over European powerhouses Germany (4-2) and Turkiye (4-1). 토토사이트 추천
Korea’s main weapons are sharp spears and sturdy shields. Son Heung-min (32) of Tottenham Hotspur FC is leading the way in this season’s Premier League scoring position. As Tottenham’s flagship striker in this season, he has scored in every crisis, displaying his role as a top-rated troubleshooter without reservation. He is two goals shy of Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) and Erling Holan (Manchester City, 14 goals). Expectations are growing that he will be able to repeat his career in the 2021-22 season, when he became the top scorer in the league.
Monster Kim Min-jae (27) of Bayern Munich is leading the defense line. After leading the Serie A championship of Italy’s prestigious Neapolitan team last year, he moved to Bayern Munich, the absolute powerhouse of the German Bundesliga, and established himself as a key defender. Last year, he swept the AFC International Player of the Year and the Korea Football Association (KFA) Player of the Year award, becoming recognized as the best defender in Asia.
Japan stands out for the solidity of its midfielders, which are full of top-notch players. Attacking midfielder Kaoru Mitoma (27, Brighton), there are many top-notch midfielders in Asia, including Takefusa Kubo (23, Real Sociedad), Takumi Minamino (29, AS Monaco), Junya Ito (32, Lance), and Ritz Doan (26, Freiburg). Mithoma injured his ankle and Gubo injured his left thigh, respectively, so it is unclear whether he will play at the beginning of the Asian Cup, but Japanese national team coach Hajime Moriyasu’s trust in the two players remains unchanged.
The tactics of the two countries, Korea and Japan, which are proud to be the strongest in Asia, are completely different. Korea, led by Jurgen Klinsmann, quickly sends the ball to the danger zone of the opponent team to seek a scoring chance. The core of the strategy is to try to exert strong pressure in all positions, steal the ball, and pass it to the front line where Son Heung-min plays. Playmaker Lee Kang-in (23, Paris Saint-Germain) will be in charge of distributing the ball in the waist area.
Japan first takes control of the flow of the game, and then attacks the opponent team’s dangerous zone with sophisticated pass play. With the midfielders armed with teamwork and creativity, the team boasts a diverse style of play ranging from wavy offense to dense defense. Transfermarkt, a soccer statistics website, ranks Japan and Korea first and second in transfer market value among 24 countries that will play in the Asian Cup finals. The total value of Japanese players was 316.95 million euros (45.6 billion won) and that of Korean players was 193 million euros (27.7 billion won). Iran ranked third with 51.58 million euros (74.3 billion won).
Korean defender Kim Min-jae and Japanese midfielder Kubo have been recognized for their ransom of 60 million euros (86 million U.S. dollars) apiece, and are tied for first among the players participating in the Asian Cup. In addition, Son Heung-min of Korea and Mitoma of Japan have 50 million euros (72 billion won) apiece. Korea is in Group E of the Asian Cup and will play against Bahrain (15th), Jordan 20th), and Malaysia 25th. Japan will play Vietnam (14th), Iraq (19th), and Indonesia (24th), before going to the knockout stage. Chances are high that the two countries will meet in the final unless something unexpected happens.