Most Popular
-
1
Dongduk Women’s University halts coeducation talks
-
2
Defense ministry denies special treatment for BTS’ V amid phone use allegations
-
3
Russia sent 'anti-air' missiles to Pyongyang, Yoon's aide says
-
4
OpenAI in talks with Samsung to power AI features, report says
-
5
Two jailed for forcing disabled teens into prostitution
-
6
South Korean military plans to launch new division for future warfare
-
7
Trump picks ex-N. Korea policy official as his principal deputy national security adviser
-
8
Gold bars and cash bundles; authorities confiscate millions from tax dodgers
-
9
Kia EV9 GT marks world debut at LA Motor Show
-
10
Teen smoking, drinking decline, while mental health, dietary habits worsen
홍명보호(號)가 '삼바축구' 브라질의 떠오르는 '태양' 네이마르(바르셀로나)와 오스카(첼시)에게 연속골을 내주며 무너졌다.
홍명보 감독이 이끄는 축구 대표팀은 12일 서울월드컵경기장에서 열린 브라질과의 평가전에서 전반 44분 네이마르에게 결승골을 내준 뒤 후반 4분 오스카에게 추가 골을 헌납하며 0-2로 패했다.
1999년 브라질을 1-0으로 꺾은 이후 14년 만에 승리 재현에 나선 한국은 이날 패배로 역대 전적에서 1승4패가 됐다. 또 홍명보호는 지난달 10일 크로아티아 평가전 패배(1-2패) 이후 2연패의 아쉬움을 맛봤다.
한국은 15일 천안종합운동장에서 국제축구연맹(FIFA) 랭킹 38위인 말리와 평가전을 치른다.
지난 2002년 11월 이후 11년 만에 브라질과 맞상대한 한국은 지동원(선덜랜드)을 원톱 스트라이커로 내세우고 구자철(볼프스부르크)을 섀도 스트라이커로 받치는 4-2-3-1 전술로 나섰다.
좌우 날개는 김보경(카디프시티)과 이청용(볼턴)이 나섰고, 중앙 미드필더는 기성용(선덜랜드)-한국영(쇼난) 조합이 나섰다.
포백은 김진수(니가타)-김영권(광저우)-홍정호(아우크스부르크)-이용(울산)이 나선 가운데 골키퍼는 정성룡(수원)이 맡았다.
이에 맞서는 브라질은 조(아틀레치코 미네이루)를 정점으로 좌우 날개에 네이마르와 헐크(제니트)를 포진한 공격라인을 가동했다.
또 중원에는 오스카-루이스 구스타보(볼프스부르크)-파울리뉴(토트넘)가 삼각편대를 이룬 가운데 마르셀루(레알 마드리드)-단테(뮌헨)-다비드 루이스(첼시)-다니 알베스(바르셀로나)가 포백을 이루는 등 최강의 전력으로 한국과 맞섰다.
한국은 해외파를 총동원한 최정예 멤버로 브라질을 상대했지만 뛰어난 개인기와 끈끈한 조직력을 갖춘 브라질을 상대하기에는 벅찼다.
전반 2분 기성용의 드리블에 의한 중거리 슈팅으로 공격의 포문을 연 한국은 왼쪽 측면 날개로 나선 네이마르의 발끝에서 시작되는 브라질의 공세에 경기 초반부터 시달려야 했다.
한국 선수들의 강한 압박에 잠시 움츠린 브라질은 전반 13분 조가 수비가 밀집된 페널티지역 오른쪽에서 헐크와 1대1 패스를 주고받은 뒤 강하게 슈팅한 게 골대를 벗어나며 첫 번째 골 기회를 놓쳤다.
전반 18분에는 네이마르의 패스를 받은 다니 알베스(바르셀로나)가 오른쪽 측면으로 돌파하는 순간 수비에 가담한 김보경이 지능적인 태클로 막아냈다.
브라질의 파상 공세를 협력 수비와 압박으로 막아낸 한국은 전반 27분 오른쪽 측면으로 쇄도한 이용의 크로스를 김보경이 헤딩하려다 골키퍼와 충돌해 쓰러지며 슈팅으로 연결하지 못했다.
이어진 코너킥에서 한국은 기성용의 킥이 수비수 맞고 흐르자 지동원이 페널티 지역 왼쪽에서 강하게 찬 볼이 수비수 몸에 맞고 골대로 향하지 못해 아쉬움을 남겼다.
전반 41분에는 네이마르와 이청용의 몸싸움으로 잠시 험악한 분위기가 연출되기도 했다.
왼쪽 측면에서 네이마르와 지동원이 볼을 경합하는 사이 이청용이 강하게 달려들어 네이마르와 충돌했고, 네이마르가 골라인 밖으로 튕겨 나갔다. 순간 브라질 선수들과 한국 선수들이 함께 모여들어 언성을 높이며 신경전을 펼쳐 일촉즉발의 상황이 벌어지기도 했다.
어수선한 분위기에서 결국 한국은 브라질에 결승골을 내줬다.
전반 44분 이용이 페널티지역 왼쪽에서 네이마르의 돌파를 막으려다 반칙을 범해 프리킥을 내줬고, 키커로 나선 네이마르가 강한 오른발 슈팅으로 한국의 왼쪽 골대 구석에 볼을 꽂았다.
브라질의 공세는 후반에도 멈추지 않았다.
브라질은 후반 4분 만에 중원에서 파울리뉴가 내준 침투 패스를 오스카가 잡아 단독 드리블, 골키퍼까지 제치고 페널티지역 왼쪽에서 추가골을 터트려 사실상 승리에 쐐기를 박았다. 파울리뉴의 패스가 들어오기 전에 중앙 수비수들이 오스카를 자유롭게 놔준 게 실점의 화근이었다.
한국은 분위기 반전 카드로 후반 6분 지동원 대신 이근호(상주)를 투입한 것을 시작으로 손흥민(뮌헨)과 고요한(서울)을 잇달아 투입해 반격에 나섰지만 브라질의 중앙 수비 조합인 루이스와 단테의 벽을 넘는 데 애를 먹었다.
오히려 후반 14분 브라질의 공격 상황에서 이용이 한 템포 늦게 공중볼을 처리하려다 쇄도해 들어온 구스타보에게 헤딩 슈팅을 허용하며 위험한 상황을 맞았다.
하지만 볼이 정성룡 품에 안겨 추가 실점을 면했다.
홍명보 감독은 경기 막판 윤일록(서울)을 이청용 대신 내보내며 득점을 노렸지만 끝내 무득점 완패의 아쉬움을 곱씹어야 했다.
이날 결승골을 터트린 브라질의 네이마르는 '맨 오브 더 매치'에 선정됐다.
<관련 영문 기사>
Brazil defeats S. Korea in football friendly
Brazil blanked South Korea 2-0 in their football friendly here on Saturday, as its brightest stars came through with goals worthy of highlight reels.
Before a record crowd at Seoul World Cup Stadium, FC Barcelona star Neymar and Chelsea sensation Oscar scored a goal apiece, as the visitors outclassed aggressive South Koreans all game.
Brazil, currently No. 8 in the world, has beaten the 58th-ranked South Korea in four of their five meetings.
Following a relatively quiet early stretch, Neymar lived up to his billing with a picture-perfect free kick score in the 43rd minute. After getting fouled several meters right of the arc, Neymar stepped up to curl one over the South Korean wall and past the diving goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong.
Neymar faced tough challenges from South Koreans almost from start to finish. The winger was pursued by multiple South Korean players nearly every time he had the ball, which often led to hard fouls that visibly frustrated him.
Neymar frequently threw his hands up as he mouthed his displeasure with referees and even found himself in the center of a shoving match with several South Koreans late in the first half.
Brazil went up by two just three minutes into the second half.
Paulinho threaded a pass in between two South Korean defenders to find the charging Oscar on a breakaway, and the midfielder zipped past the prone Jung and fired one into the empty net.
South Koreans tried to rally in the second half, but their efforts were often foiled by speedy and skilled Brazilian defenders.
In the 68th, Lee Chung-yong tried to head in a corner but redirected it wide of the left post.
South Korea never came closer to scoring the rest of the match, as Brazil remained in complete control.
The match drew a record crowd of 65,308. The previous high for a match at Seoul World Cup Stadium was 65,256 that watched South Korea face Germany in the semifinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Despite the loss, South Korean head coach Hong Myung-bo praised his players for their hard work, saying the game will serve as a good learning experience for his young players.
"I don't think we played that poorly, and we executed things that we had prepared to do," he said at the post-match press conference. "I am sure our players gained more confidence after this, and that really is an important part for the team. I think this alone is a huge plus for us."
Asked about some testy moments during the game between his players and Neymar, Hong said he didn't think South Koreans lost their cool.
"I think we played it fair," he said. "Our players played tough and did their best."
Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said his team exceeded his expectations.
"I think we overcame a lot of difficulties," he said through an interpreter. "South Korea is a talented team, but I think they only showed their quality over the final 20 minutes and surprised us with their speed."
Scolari said he felt South Koreans committed too many fouls in the first half but appeared to run out of gas later on after spending much of the match trying to stop the Brazilians.
"We simply played football," he said. "I think South Koreans were trying too hard to do well."
South Korea will next host Mali in Cheonan, about 90 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday. Brazil travels to Beijing to face Zambia, also on Tuesday.
In Hong's seven matches since taking the helm of the national team, South Korea has just one victory, with three losses and three draws. (Yonhap News)
Brazil defeats S. Korea in football friendly
Brazil blanked South Korea 2-0 in their football friendly here on Saturday, as its brightest stars came through with goals worthy of highlight reels.
Before a record crowd at Seoul World Cup Stadium, FC Barcelona star Neymar and Chelsea sensation Oscar scored a goal apiece, as the visitors outclassed aggressive South Koreans all game.
Brazil, currently No. 8 in the world, has beaten the 58th-ranked South Korea in four of their five meetings.
Following a relatively quiet early stretch, Neymar lived up to his billing with a picture-perfect free kick score in the 43rd minute. After getting fouled several meters right of the arc, Neymar stepped up to curl one over the South Korean wall and past the diving goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong.
Neymar faced tough challenges from South Koreans almost from start to finish. The winger was pursued by multiple South Korean players nearly every time he had the ball, which often led to hard fouls that visibly frustrated him.
Neymar frequently threw his hands up as he mouthed his displeasure with referees and even found himself in the center of a shoving match with several South Koreans late in the first half.
Brazil went up by two just three minutes into the second half.
Paulinho threaded a pass in between two South Korean defenders to find the charging Oscar on a breakaway, and the midfielder zipped past the prone Jung and fired one into the empty net.
South Koreans tried to rally in the second half, but their efforts were often foiled by speedy and skilled Brazilian defenders.
In the 68th, Lee Chung-yong tried to head in a corner but redirected it wide of the left post.
South Korea never came closer to scoring the rest of the match, as Brazil remained in complete control.
The match drew a record crowd of 65,308. The previous high for a match at Seoul World Cup Stadium was 65,256 that watched South Korea face Germany in the semifinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Despite the loss, South Korean head coach Hong Myung-bo praised his players for their hard work, saying the game will serve as a good learning experience for his young players.
"I don't think we played that poorly, and we executed things that we had prepared to do," he said at the post-match press conference. "I am sure our players gained more confidence after this, and that really is an important part for the team. I think this alone is a huge plus for us."
Asked about some testy moments during the game between his players and Neymar, Hong said he didn't think South Koreans lost their cool.
"I think we played it fair," he said. "Our players played tough and did their best."
Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said his team exceeded his expectations.
"I think we overcame a lot of difficulties," he said through an interpreter. "South Korea is a talented team, but I think they only showed their quality over the final 20 minutes and surprised us with their speed."
Scolari said he felt South Koreans committed too many fouls in the first half but appeared to run out of gas later on after spending much of the match trying to stop the Brazilians.
"We simply played football," he said. "I think South Koreans were trying too hard to do well."
South Korea will next host Mali in Cheonan, about 90 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday. Brazil travels to Beijing to face Zambia, also on Tuesday.
In Hong's seven matches since taking the helm of the national team, South Korea has just one victory, with three losses and three draws. (Yonhap News)
