“We will play the group stage with the goal of finishing first because we will have an advantage in the tournament by finishing first in the group.”
South Korean Asian Games head coach Hwang Sun-hong, who is seeking a third consecutive Asian Games title, said on Sunday that his team will aim to “finish first in Group E” after being drawn alongside Bahrain, Thailand and Kuwait in the group draw for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. As a result of the group draw, Hwang’s side will open their campaign against Kuwait on Sept. 19, followed by Thailand on Sept. 21 and Bahrain on Sept. 24. The matches will all be played at the Jinhua Sports Center Stadium in Jinhua, a city near Hangzhou. The venue is familiar to us as Hwang Sun-hong played two exhibition games against China last month.
Speaking to the Korea Football Association shortly after the draw, Hwang shared his thoughts and plans for the group, saying, “From now on, we need to get to know our opponents, but I think all the teams we face in the group are of a similar level, so the first thing we need to do is to analyze their strengths. It’s important for us to be prepared because all the teams are competitive.”
He also mentioned Japan, Uzbekistan, and Saudi Arabia as possible contenders for the title, saying, “I think we will compete for the title with these countries. We will focus on preparing for each match.” Hwang will have a short training camp in August and will be fully prepared for the tournament in September.
The Korean men’s soccer team will attempt to win a third straight title at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in September, following the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. The defending champions have been drawn in Port 1, avoiding fellow hosts China, Japan, Vietnam, North Korea and Uzbekistan. After avoiding Group B, which included Saudi Arabia and Iran, Korea will face two Middle Eastern teams (Bahrain and Kuwait) and Southeast Asian powerhouse Thailand. 안전놀이터
A total of 23 teams competed in the tournament, divided into six groups to compete for a spot in the round of 16. Only Group D has three teams, while the other five groups (A, B, C, E, and F) have four teams each. The top 12 teams from each group will automatically qualify for the round of 16, with the four best-placed teams from each group joining them in a 16-team knockout tournament to determine the winner.
Asian Games men’s soccer is by regulation played by players aged 23 and under, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament has been postponed by one year and will feature a 24-man squad. There are three wildcards that can be drawn from the final roster of 22 players regardless of age. The South Korean men’s team, who will be looking to win their third consecutive gold medal, finalized their roster on Thursday.
The women’s team is in Group E with Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Myanmar. South Korea, which won the bronze medal at the last edition of the tournament, was drawn into Port 1, avoiding fellow hosts China, Japan, Taiwan, and North Korea. However, South Korea will have a tough road ahead of them, as they will face the Philippines, a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier, and Hong Kong, a quarterfinalist at the last Asian Games.
A total of 17 teams were divided into five groups. Groups A, B, and C have three teams each, while Groups D and E have four teams each. Eight teams will compete in the tournament, including the top five teams from each group and the best three finishers.
As there is no age limit for women’s soccer at the Asian Games, the A team will be competing. The Korean Women’s National Team, which won three consecutive bronze medals from 2010 to 2018, will be announced as soon as the FIFA Women’s World Cup concludes.