The French under-20 (U20) national team, which is a candidate for the championship, also showed a fatal weakness in the last evaluation match. If Kim Eun-joong-ho attacks well, he can overcome a big mountain.
On the 23rd at 3 am (Korean time) at Mendoza Stadium in Mendoza, Argentina, Korea and France will face off in the first leg of Group F of the 2023 Argentina U20 World Cup. Then, on the 26th, we will play the 2nd match against Ondras, and the 3rd match against Gambia on the 29th.
France is the favorite to win. In the group draw, he was assigned to Pot 1, and in Group F, he was the only player to win the U20 World Cup (2013). At the time, France, which was full of promising players such as Paul Pogba, rose to the top after a penalty shootout against Uruguay in the final. France is also the only team in Group F that Korea loses in the opponent’s record. South Korea had 1 win, 3 draws and 4 losses in 8 matches against the French U20 national team.
It’s strong, but it also has weaknesses. France got 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss in the 3 friendly matches held in March, but failed to win the last 2 matches. In particular, he met with England (1-1 draw) and faced dangerous moments several times, revealing problems defensively. It was a game that could have ended in defeat if England had good decision making.
In the 11th minute of the first half, France missed all the attackers penetrating from behind in England’s free kick situation and allowed the first goal. After that, in the first minute of conceding, he couldn’t see the striker running behind the defensive line, so he gave up a one-on-one opportunity, and almost conceded an additional goal. France’s defense line was easily broken by long kicks and forward penetrating passes that came between the defense and the goalkeeper.
The attack point Kim Eun-joong should aim for is the space behind this defense. Striker Park Seung-ho explained in an interview with the Korea Football Association (KFA) on the 22nd, “France is slow in switching between offense and defense. To put it simply, they have an ignorant personality. I think about that part well and plan to attack the space behind the opponent.”
It is highly likely that France devoted itself to training to compensate for the weaknesses revealed at the time for about two months. In addition, formations such as 5-2-3, which can strengthen the defensive line more reliably, are also possible, rather than the commonly used 4-3-3 formation. This is because they have versatile midfielders who can play fullback roles such as Warren Bondo. 스포츠토토
Kim Eun-joong needs to actively use opportunities such as side crosses and set pieces to shake the French defense in various ways. After giving up a cross in the 29th minute of the first half against England, France completely missed the striker’s movement and allowed the goal post, and in the 43rd minute of the second half, they failed to block a free kick set-piece similar to the pattern conceded when they conceded the first goal. The England striker freely connected a header shot, but it missed the goal slightly.
Conversely, France’s formidable offensive power is an advantage that must be guarded against. Alain Virgenius, the ace, is a striker who has grown through his professional experience at FC Sochaux in the French Ligue 2. He recorded 3 goals and 3 assists in the U19 Euros, which also served as U20 World Cup European qualifiers. In the 43rd minute of the first half of the match against England, the attacking team broke down the defense in an instant with a one-two pass, and Virginius, who was waiting at the gate, broke the net. It was a scene where the strengths of France, which are specializing in technology and speed, were revealed.
Kim Eun-joong defender Hwang In-taek said, “Even when I saw the video, the French players were faster. When it’s too late, I’ll definitely bump into them and compete, and when it’s late, I won’t try to bump into them and I’ll follow them.”