The Korean women’s national soccer team won both matches against Zambia, the ‘African ambush’, in both evaluation matches. It was all a win, too.
The women’s national team, led by head coach Colin Bell, recorded a hat-trick by Lee Geum-min (Brighton) and multiple goals by Park Eun-seon (Seoul City Hall) and won 5-0 in the friendly match against Zambia held at Mir Stadium in Yongin on the 11th. It was a storm of 5 goals in 2 consecutive games. Korea defeated Zambia 5-2 in the first match held in Suwon on the 7th. I caught the second game and finished this schedule in a good mood.
Korea will participate in the Women’s World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand in July. They are in Group H and face Germany, Colombia and Morocco. Zambia is a hypothetical opponent for Morocco. Among the three opposing teams, Morocco, which ranks 73rd in the FIFA rankings, is considered the weakest team in the group stage. It is an opponent that must be caught. I gained confidence by winning all matches in Zambia, which was like a mock test.
Zambia’s FIFA ranking is 77th, which is similar to Morocco’s, and showed its power by finishing 3rd in the Africa Women’s Nations Cup last July, which also serves as a World Cup qualifier. It was a good opponent to prepare for the game against Morocco. Zambia, which belongs to Group C, will challenge the world stage for the first time through this World Cup. They compete against Spain, Costa Rica and Japan in the same group.
In the last game 1, Zambia’s counter-punch was fierce. Korea was also drawn 1-2. They scored four goals in the second half to win a come-from-behind victory, but it was clear that they were formidable opponents.
Manager Bell brought out a 3-5-2 formation. Compared to the first game, three starters have changed. Striker Park Eun-sun (Seoul City Hall), midfielder Bae Ye-bin (Widuk University), and goalkeeper Yoon Young-geul (BK Hyeken) got a chance. Park Eun-sun scored the first goal for the national team in nine years in the first game. I came out as a substitute at the time, but in the second game, I matched with Son Hwa-yeon (Hyundai Steel) as a two-top team. 안전놀이터
Coincidentally, college player Bae Ye-bin played as a midfielder with the Europeans. Bae Ye-bin was placed in the middle, and Cho So-hyun (Tottenham) and Lee Geum-min (Brighton) supported him. Unlike his veteran older sisters, he was a young player who could use his spirited play as a weapon. The left wingback was Jang Seul-gi (Hyundai Steel), and the right wingback was Choo Hyo-joo (Suwon FC). The three center backs were Kim Yun-ji (Suwon FC), Hong Hye-ji, and Kim Hye-ri (Hyundai Steel). There are many players who have matched their feet in teams such as Suwon FC and Hyundai Steel, so their strength is their ability to breathe. The goalkeeper was Yoon Young-geul, another European player. In the first game, veteran Kim Jeong-mi (Hyundai Steel) guarded the goal.