Son Heung-min, Kang-In 'thrilling two-shot' talk...set-pieces 'the best weapon' in the arsenal
The South Korean national soccer team, led by Jürgen Klinsmann, played an exhibition match against Vietnam at the Suwon World Cup Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in discuss the game plan before taking a free kick. Suwon=Jung Si-jong
Lee Kang-in (left) and Son Heung-min prepare to take a free kick side by side during the national soccer team's exhibition match against Vietnam on Sunday. Captured from Coupang Play broadcast
Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, South Korea, hosted an exhibition match against Vietnam on Sunday. In the 17th minute of the second half, with South Korea leading 4-0, the crowd erupted in cheers. Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) lined up to take a free kick from the front of the arc.
The atmosphere in the stadium was electric as the "two-shot" of two of the biggest stars on the national team was shown on the big screen. The sight of Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in preparing side by side to take a free kick was a reminder that the national team now has two of the best set-piece weapons in the world. The right-footed Son and the left-footed Lee are the so-called "dead-ball specialists" who can always be counted on to deliver in set-piece situations, including free kicks.
The role of Son Heung-min is now being shared by Lee Kang-in. Son has long been the national team's go-to set-piece kicker for free kicks and corners. Last year, he became the first player in Korean soccer to score a goal from a free kick in two consecutive games, and he continues to hold the record for most goals from free kicks in an A-match (five). He also scored a goal with a sharp right-footed free kick against Colombia in March, his first game with the Klinsmanns. Son Heung-min has also been the kicker for most corner kicks.
In addition, Lee Kang-in, who has been fully integrated into the A team since Jürgen Klinsmann's arrival, is also making his presence felt as a left-footed specialist.
Lee scored his A-match debut with a sharp left-footed free kick against Tunisia in the last match, when Son Heung-min was out with an injury. Kim Min-jae's (Bayern Munich) header in front of goal from Lee's corner kick also proved to be a threatening set piece in Asia. Against Tunisia, Lee Kang-in's corner kick was headed in by Kim Min-jae, but the header hit an opponent and was ruled an own goal. Against Vietnam, Kim Min-jae scored a header in the same situation. Against Vietnam, Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-min shared the role of set-piece kicker depending on their positions.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by Jürgen Klinsmann, played an exhibition match against the Vietnamese national team at the Suwon World Cup Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in discuss the game plan before taking a free kick. 바카라사이트
The ability of anyone to take a shot on a free kick makes him a great weapon for Klinsmann and a "terror" for the opposition. The free kick situation in front of the Vietnamese arc where the two shots were taken earlier was typical. Both Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in were in a position to take direct shots, which put a lot of pressure on the opposing goalkeeper and defense. Only a team with both a right-footed and left-footed specialist could do this.
Looking ahead, Klinsmann's schedule will be even more challenging. The team, which has completed eight trials since its inception, will begin its second round of Asian qualifiers for the FIFA Confederations Cup North America 2026 next month with a two-game series against Singapore (home) and China (away). The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup qualifiers are scheduled for January next year. For the foreseeable future, A matches will be scheduled against Asian teams.
As was the case against Vietnam, most Asian teams will likely drop back and focus on defense against South Korea. Free kicks are the most powerful weapon to break down the opponent's tight defense. The two-shot combination of Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, standing side by side and aiming for the opponent's goal, will be a common sight. There is no more exciting moment for fans and no more stressful moment for opponents. It's a welcome sight for Korean soccer.