Bitter pill to swallow: South Korea No. 1 goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu (left) will miss South Korea’s remaining two Group E matches against Jordan next and Malaysia on Jan 25. — AFP
DOHA: South Korea’s No. 1 goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu has been ruled out of the remainder of the Asian Cup after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during Thursday’s training session here, the Korea Football Association confirmed.
Seung-gyu will miss South Korea’s remaining two Group E matches against Jordan next and Malaysia on Jan 25 after helping the Taeguk Warriors beat Bahrain 3-1 in the opening match last Monday.
The 33-year-old Al-Shabab player has been a regular pick since former manager Paulo Bento took charge of the team in 2018 before gaining the trust of new coach Juergen Klinsmann, playing 10 out of 12 matches since the German took the helm in February last year.
“I’m very sad because obviously he is the top-class goalkeeper, he’s our No. 1 and did so well the whole year and obviously in his entire career,” said Klinsmann.
“This is very sad for him, for us and the entire team but that’s part of football and you have to swallow it and he will accept it and come back strong.
“He will get surgery when he’s back in South Korea and we have to deal with it.
“In a tournament things will happen, players will have injuries and we always have to find a solution then how to fix things and move on but obviously we feel for him and wish him to get better right away,” added Klinsmann.
Seung-gyu has displayed a convincing performance in Klinsmann’s seven-game winning streak with the national team starting in September last year, only conceding one goal in seven games which came from last Monday’s victory.
Jo Hyeon-woo and Song Bum-keun are Klinsmann’s two remaining goalkeeper alternatives in light of Seung-gyu’s absence.
Hyeon-woo is South Korea’s former No. 1, holding the goal for the team at the 2018 World Cup before being relegated to the bench under Bento and Klinsmann while Bum-keun, on the other hand, has never played a match under Klinsmann.
Two-time champions South Korea are currently second to Jordan in Group E. They share four points but Jordan are at the top with a goal difference after their 2-2 draw last night. — Bernama
