SYDNEY (Yonhap) ― The South Korean starting goalkeeper job for the AFC Asian Cup remained as murky as ever after the team blanked Saudi Arabia 2-0 in its tune-up match before the tournament with two custodians bailing out inconsistent defenders.

Head coach Uli Stielike has named three goalkeepers to his 23-man squad for the continent’s largest football competition, which will kick off on Friday.

South Korea’s first match will be on Saturday against Oman in Canberra.

Against Saudi Arabia in Sydney, Kim Jin-hyeon got the starting nod. It was his third start in five matches under Stielike, who took over the South Korean team in October. The 27-year-old responded to the coach’s continued show of faith with a strong first half, and made a game-saving diving save in the 27th minute on Nawaf Al-Abid’s bicycle kick. 

Kim Jin-hyeon said later he didn’t put too much stock into the fact that he got the start on Sunday.

“I just wanted to help the team win,” he said. “(Making saves) is just a part of my job as a goalkeeper. Whoever gets the call in net, we will all cheer on each other.”

With Jung Sung-ryong, a veteran of two FIFA World Cups, sidelined with an injury, Kim Seung-gyu got the call for the goalkeeping duties in the second half. Kim, 24, has seen his stock rise since his solid performance in the 1-0 loss to Belgium at last year’s World Cup, and later helped South Korea win the gold medal at the Asian Games with seven consecutive clean sheets.

Kim Seung-gyu was tested more often than Kim Jin-hyeon, with Saudi Arabia trying to get back into the game after an own goal put South Korea ahead in the 67th minute.

His best save came in the 83rd on Nasser Al-Shamrani’s hard shot from the right edge of the box.

Kim Seung-gyu said he had some disappointing moments in the match that affected the team’s transition from defense to offense.

“After just one match, it’s difficult to tell who will get the starting job (at the Asian Cup),” he added. “I hope all three of us can prepare for the tournament together and help the team win.”

Though Jung, 30, has played in more international matches than the other two combined ― Jung has 64 caps to Kim Seung-gyu’s eight and Kim Jin-hyeon’s five ― the two younger goalkeepers appear to have an inside track for the top job with South Korea’s first Group A match only days away.

Whoever is chosen as the starting netminder, South Korea will have to shore up the defense in front of him.

In the five matches he’s coached the South Korean men’s national football team, Stielike has not once used the same defensive pairings.

And after another mediocre defensive game, Stielike will likely be forced to juggle his back line once again when the tournament kicks off.

Stielike didn’t hide his disappointment in the team’s lethargic first half against Saudi Arabia. He noted that the players lacked poise on both ends.

On the defensive end, Jang Hyeon-soo and Kim Ju-young got the call as the center backs, flanked by fullbacks Kim Jin-su and Kim Chang-soo.

Jang and Kim Ju-young, making their first start as a tandem on Stielike’s watch, struggled with their positioning and clearing attempts, which led to some early Saudi Arabian scoring opportunities.

To start the second half, midfielder Park Joo-ho slid back into the left fullback position to replace Kim Jin-su, while the other three starting defenders played the entire match. Stielike has previously been questioned about his juggling acts, which have raised concerns that the lack of continuity could compromise the defenders’ cohesion.