South Korean players celebrate a goal by Um Won-sang (No. 20) during an Olympic men's football tuneup match against Argentina at Yongin Mireu Stadium in Yongin, 50 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday. (Yonhap)
With South Korea set to take on France in their final Olympic men's football tuneup Friday, head coach Kim Hak-bum sees the match as another opportunity for his players to build confidence.
As far as the coach is concerned, it doesn't necessarily have to be a victory. It can be a collection of small moments within the match, such as connecting on long-distance passes, foiling the opposition's counterattack opportunities or creating dangerous chances from set pieces.
The kickoff between the two Olympic contestants is 8 p.m. Friday at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
This is the second of two pre-Tokyo matches for South Korea. They played Argentina to a 2-2 draw Tuesday, with Um Won-sang netting a last-gasp equalizer after South Korea were forced to play catch-up for most of the match.
Kim acknowledged some defensive shortcomings but also spoke about how his players emerged from the hard-fought draw with a healthy dose of confidence. Kim said the belief inside the locker room is that they can handle any team at the Olympics, even a more talented and skilled country like Argentina.
Doing much of the same against France -- bending but not breaking and pushing until the final whistle -- will go a long way toward adding to that foundation.
The two countries can potentially meet again at the Olympics in the quarterfinals. South Korea will play out of Group B, against New Zealand, Honduras and Romania. France will be in Group A against Japan, South Africa and Mexico. Unlikely as it may seem, a showdown for the gold medal is also a possibility, if they both win their groups and take the first two knockout matches.
But first things first: South Korea committed a ghastly gaffe in allowing the first goal against Argentina, and there will be no room for such mistakes in Olympic matches that count.
South Korea's first match is next Thursday against New Zealand.
Another cloud hanging over the South Korean team is the status of centerback Kim Min-jae.
Kim was selected as one of three overage players on the under-24 Olympic team. Kim, who has been excelling for the senior national team in recent years, is considered one of the best at his position in Asia, a physically bruising defender who can also make smart passes out of his own zone.
Kim's current contract with Beijing Guoan expires in December, and he has been seeking a way out of China and to Europe. And because clubs aren't obligated to release players for the Olympic tournament, Beijing have maintained they won't let Kim play in Tokyo unless he can land with another club during the offseason and get permission from his new team.
Kim has been mostly recently linked to FC Porto, and recent reports said Kim's desire to play at the Olympics is a sticking point in his negotiations with the Portuguese club.
Coach Kim put the defender on his roster anyway, hoping the Korea Football Association (KFA) would be able to find a resolution in time for the Olympics. There's still no clarity on that front with South Korea's first Olympic match just one week away.
In his prematch press conference Thursday, coach Kim said talks with Beijing to secure Kim Min-jae's release are still ongoing.
"It hasn't been easy, but we've come this far (in the negotiations) because we believe there is still a chance that we can get him on board," the coach said. "He's a player we absolutely need. If we had no hope at all, then we would already have moved on with our Plan B. There will be a conclusion one way or another soon."
Kim Min-jae didn't play against Argentina and the coach said the centerback is unlikely to play Friday unless there's a dramatic turn of events with Beijing.
The coach said he's willing to wait until Friday, the day before his team is scheduled to fly to Japan. But depending on how talks progress between now and then, he could keep the door open until next Wednesday, the eve of South Korea's first group match against New Zealand.
Teams are allowed to make roster changes within 24 hours before their first match over injuries or clubs' refusal to release players.
The other two over-24 players, striker Hwang Ui-jo and forward/midfielder Kwon Chang-hoon, came off the bench in the second half of Tuesday's match but made little impact. While Kim Min-jae is still questionable, Hwang and Kwon are expected to be in the starting lineup Friday.
Midfielder Lee Kang-in, who provided some spark as a second-half substitute Tuesday, should also find himself among the starting XI. Coach Kim likes to mix things up and juggle his lineups, both in friendlies and matches that count, and those on the 22-man roster who saw little to no action against Argentina will all likely play.
Coach Kim admitted it has been difficult to do much prep work on France because their roster has changed quite a bit in recent days.
"For tomorrow, our focus will be on our own performance, no matter how the other team plays," Kim said. "There's no question France will present a great test for us. But our players are ready." (Yonhap)