Klinsmann's 1st match highlighted by inconsistent performance

By Yoo Jee-ho

ULSAN, March 24 (Yonhap) -- It was almost as though South Korea played two different matches within one.

South Korea thoroughly dominated the run of play against Colombia in a friendly match here Friday night, taking a 2-0 lead in the first half of head coach Jurgen Klinsmann's South Korea debut, thanks to captain Son Heung-min's brace.

But the lead evaporated within the first five minutes of the second half at Munsu Football Stadium in the southeastern city of Ulsan, with the defense suffering some mental lapses.

From South Korea's starting lineup in their last World Cup match against Brazil, Klinsmann only changed two players: right back Kim Tae-hwan drew in for Kim Moon-hwan, while winger Hwang Hee-chan, cut from the national team over the weekend due to injury, was replaced by Jeong Woo-yeong.

Cohesion and chemistry weren't going to be an issue, considering how Klinsmann's predecessor, Paulo Bento, had kept his core players intact for the majority of his four-year tenure.

The real question was what Klinsmann would do with essentially the same group of players. When he opened his first training camp Monday, Klinsmann said he wasn't going to make drastic changes early on and that he would take his time to put his fingerprints on the team.

Some differences were obviously in the early minutes Friday.

South Korea created opportunities with quick, short passes through tight space. South Korean forwards and midfielders also forced turnovers deep in the Colombian zone with aggressive high pressing.

Colombia looked flustered and barely mounted counterattacks, as strong forechecking by South Korea left the visitors with little space and time to roam.

This was a departure from Bento's regime, when South Korea took their time to build up offensive processes from the back.

Midfielder Hwang In-beom, who developed into a steady workhorse under Bento, was a key figure in Klinsmann's attacking scheme. He consistently found seams to thread passes into the attacking zone and also covered a lot of ground defensively.

"The coaching staff wants us midfielders to be a bit more aggressive, and they want us to get deep into the attacking area and fire shots whenever we can," Hwang said. "Coach Klinsmann wanted us to play a high-tempo game, and I think everyone tried to keep that in mind throughout the game."

Klinsmann unleashed Son in the attacking zone and allowed him to play all over the pitch. The captain wreaked havoc on the defense, be it with his penetration down the left flank or foray into the box through the middle.

"He has the freedom to rotate," Klinsmann said. "As long as he knows where the goal is, I am happy."

But with players running all over the field to chase opposing ball carriers and get themselves open for passes, this was also an exhausting way to play. And it showed in the early moments of the second half, when defensive lapses led to two Colombian goals that erased the first-half lead.

For the rest of the match, South Koreans looked a step or two slower, while their opponents appeared to have found a second wind. Colombia returned the favor by applying some effective high pressing, and their second goal was the direct result of a turnover forced by tough forechecking.

Klinsmann stated in his introductory press conference that he'd rather win a game 4-3 than 1-0. And South Korea could have done just that Friday if a few bounces had gone their way.

After one match, Klinsmann's offensive schemes will need some polishing around the edges.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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