Stopping the 'Tall Corps'! Fierce Competition Among Goalkeepers

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The North and Central America World Cup match against the Czech Republic is now just four days away. Our players are refining their strategies to fend off the opponent's "tall corps." The pressure is especially high on the goalkeepers, the last line of defense.

Lee Jeong-Chan reports from Guadalajara.

[Reporter]

On the first day of closed-door tactical training in preparation for the Czech match, our players boosted their spirits by greeting the press with energy.

[Hello~]

As the training began, tension was evident, especially on the faces of the goalkeepers.

Jo Hyeon-woo, who led the "Miracle of Kazan" with divine saves at the Russia World Cup, and Kim Seung-gyu, who contributed to reaching the Round of 16 in Qatar as the starting point of the "build-up soccer" under the Bento regime, are competing for the starting spot for the third consecutive time. Kim Seung-gyu, who has regained his position after overcoming repeated knee injuries, is particularly determined.

[Kim Seung-gyu/National Soccer Team Goalkeeper: Whoever plays, I think it will be a huge help to the team. All three of us (goalkeepers) are in such good condition, and I want to finish with the best results, better than the last three World Cups.]

The first opponent, the Czech Republic, relies on long balls and crosses targeting tall players like Schick up front. Since the trajectory and speed of the ball can be unpredictable at high altitudes, the team is thoroughly preparing to prevent even a single fatal mistake.

[Jo Hyeon-woo/National Soccer Team Goalkeeper: (At high altitudes) the ball comes in differently than expected, so we have to predict early and stay focused.]

[Kim Seung-gyu/National Soccer Team Goalkeeper: You can't stop everything just by guarding the goal. We need to be proactive, coming out to help the defenders.]

With dealing with aerial balls becoming more important than ever, the competition among the goalkeepers, who dream of a spectacular flight, has truly caught fire.

(Video reporting: Hwang In-seok | Video editing: Hwang Ji-young | Design: Hwang Se-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.