Published : Nov. 16, 2013 - 10:36
15일 오후 서울 성산동 서울월드컵경기장에서 열린 하나은행 초청 국가대표 친선경기 한국 대 스위스와의 경기. 대표팀 김신욱이 헤딩슛을 하고 있다. 이슛은 스위스 골망을 갈랐으나 노골 처리됐다. (연합뉴스)
'고공폭격기' 김신욱(25•울산 현대)이 드디어 홍명보호(號)' 원톱으로 자리잡을 가능성을 보였다.
김신욱은 15일 서울월드컵경기장에서 열린 스위스와의 평가전에 선발 출장해 82분간 그라운드를 누비며 2-1 역전승의 밑바탕이 됐다.
최전방 원톱 공격수 자리에 선 그는 수시로 2선을 넘나들고 때로는 좌우 측면까지 빠지며 공격의 중심축 역할을 했다.
비록 골은 넣지 못했지만 다른 공격수들과 유기적인 플레이로 골 찬스를 만드는 데 여러 차례 가담하며 '헤딩만 잘하는 반쪽짜리 공격수'라는 편견을 부수는 데 성공했다.
김신욱은 0-1로 뒤지던 전반 13분 위력적인 헤딩으로 상대 문전을 위협했다.
자신이 얻어낸 프리킥 찬스에서 기성용이 키커로 나서 공을 문전으로 띄우자 장기인 헤딩 슈팅으로 골문을 갈랐다. 그러나 간발의 차이로 오프사이드 판정을 받아 땅을 쳤다.
그는 이후 가슴, 어깨 등 온몸을 활용한 공중볼 확보는 물론 손흥민, 김보경, 이청용 등 2선 공격수에게 정확한 리턴 패스를 뿌려주며 공격을 이끌었다.
전반 17분 가슴으로 롱볼을 받아 이청용에게 공을 내줬고 이는 손흥민의 슈팅으로 이어졌다.
전반 36분에는 2선까지 내려와 2대 1 패스로 김보경의 돌파를 이끌어냈고 이번에는 이청용이 슈팅으로 화답했다.
후반전 시작과 함께 과거 울산에서 한솥밥을 먹던 이근호(상주)가 투입되자 김신욱은 더 높이 날아올랐다. 동점골이 그의 발끝에서 시작됐다.
후반 12분 어느새 왼쪽 측면으로 빠진 김신욱은 문전에서 도사리던 이근호를 향 해 날카로운 크로스를 올렸다.
이근호가 머리를 갖다댔지만 골키퍼가 가까스로 골대 밖으로 공을 걷어냈다. 이어진 코너킥 찬스에서 홍정호가 헤딩으로 동점골을 뽑았다.
김신욱은 홍명보 감독의 데뷔 무대인 동아시안컵에서 3차례 교체 출장에 그친 뒤 한동안 대표 명단에 이름을 올리지 못하다 4개월여만에 태극마크를 다시 달았다.
그는 경기 뒤 취재진과 만나 "내겐 다음이 없었다"며 "다 보여주기 보단 간절한 마음으로 최선을 다 하자는 생각으로 경기에 임했다"고 말했다.
김대길 KBS N 해설위원은 "김신욱이 홍 감독이 바라는 원톱상을 충분히 소화할 수 있다는 것을 보여줬다. 오늘처럼 뛰면 장신이라는 본인의 장점을 극대화할 수 있을 것"이라고 호평했다.
다만, 김신욱은 이날 공격수로서 가장 중요한 득점을 기록하지는 못했다.
원톱의 자질을 드러낸 그가 19일(한국시간) 아랍에미리트 두바이에서 열리는 러시아와의 평가전에서도 홍 감독 체제 아래서의 첫 골을 기록할 수 있을지 관심이 모아진다.
S. Korea stuns Switzerland in football friendly
South Korea stunned Switzerland with a 2-1 victory in their football friendly match here on Friday, erasing an earlier deficit in the spirited second half.
At Seoul World Cup Stadium, Bolton Wanderers winger Lee Chung-yong headed in the go-ahead goal in the 86th minute, as the 56th-ranked hosts upset the world No. 7.
South Korea's record under head coach Hong Myung-bo improved to three wins, three losses and three draws.
It was the first clash between the two countries since Switzerland defeated South Korea 2-0 in the final Group G match at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The loss knocked South Korea out of the tournament, while Switzerland advanced to the round of 16.
This was also South Korea's final friendly match at home this year. The country will next take on the 19th-ranked Russia in Dubai on Tuesday for its last international contest of 2013.
South Korea came out of the gate with more energy, but Switzerland struck first in the sixth minute. Pajtim Kasami stole Lee Yong's clearing attempt in midfield and sprinted toward the South Korean net, before firing one under the hands of the diving goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu.
South Korea had a goal disallowed on an offside call in the 13th minute. Kim Shin-wook, the 196-centimeter striker, headed in a lengthy free kick by Ki Sung-yueng from midfield, but was ruled to have been behind the Swiss defense on the play.
Switzerland nearly doubled the lead in the 22nd, when forward Haris Seferovic took a long outlet pass and broke in alone on Kim Seung-gyu. The South Korean netminder stood his ground this time and kept out Seferovic's shot from the top of the arc.
South Koreans controlled the pace to open the second half, and their efforts finally bore fruit in the 58th, when Hong Jeong-ho, the 188-centimeter defender, dashed toward the net and jumped over a crowd of Swiss players to head in Ki's corner from left.
It was Hong's first international goal in his 21st match.
Lee Chung-yong then sealed the deal for the hosts, jumping over Gokhan Inler to head in a picture-perfect cross by Lee Keun-ho from left wing. Goalkeeper Diego Benaglio stood froze on the ground and helplessly watched the ball get past him and into the net.
Lee almost picked up his second goal in injury time, but Benaglio this time made a diving save on Lee's curling shot from the left corner of the box.
Following Hong's equalizer, Lee had almost given South Korea a lead in the 71st. He intercepted a pass in midfield and penetrated deep into the Swiss zone, but his shot was deflected out of play by two opposing defenders.
Though he didn't score a goal, forward Kim Shin-wook was also the offensive spark plug for South Korea. In the 55th, Kim took a feed from midfield and deftly set up the charging Lee Chung-yong, whose shot from the top of the box was barely kept out by goalkeeper Benaglio.
Two minutes later, Kim sent a perfect cross for the head of Lee Keun-ho, but Benaglio was there to punch it out of play.
The flustered Switzerland spent the majority of the second half fending off feisty South Koreans, and barely mounted any challenge against Kim Seung-gyu in the South Korean net.
The victorious coach Hong praised his players for fighting back from the 1-0 deficit.
"After giving up an early goal against a strong opponent, we could have come apart," Hong said. "But our players showed a lot of poise as they tried to regain control. In the second half, our team played the way we wanted on both offense and defense."
Both South Korea and Switzerland have qualified for next year's World Cup in Brazil, and they could be drawn in the same group again. Hong said he expects Switzerland to play better if the two meet again at the World Cup but added, "Having won this friendly match should be a great confidence boost for our young players."
Hong also acknowledged Kim Shin-wook's play on offense. During the East Asian Cup tournament in July, the coach lashed out at the forward, saying his presence on the field was actually detrimental to the team's offensive flow because his teammates would only seek to send crosses for his head, rather than try to create chances on the ground.
Kim had been kept out of Hong's squad for the past three months before returning for the two November contests. Hong admitted he hadn't entirely figured out Kim's strengths as a striker during the East Asian Cup and applauded the player's work ethic.
"He can head the ball against anyone, and he's also a great technician for a player his size," Hong said. "We'd worked on putting together ground attacks with Kim, and it worked out perfectly. It was also great to see him give his best for 80 minutes (before being replaced)."
Ottmar Hitzfeld, head coach for Switzerland, said his players had trouble finding their rhythm against "speedy" South Koreans.
"South Koreans had a lot of fastbreak opportunities," the coach said through an interpreter. "South Korea deserved to win. They had many opportunities, and our defenders should thank the goalkeeper Benaglio for not allowing more goals."
Hitzfeld said he was happy with his team's performance in the first half, but lamented that his players, still exhausted from a long trip, suffered a lapse of concentration in the second half. (Yonhap News)