AFC U20 Asian Cup
Having secured their spot in the last eight with a game spare gives head coach Lee Chang-won the opportunity to keep his squad fresh for the knockout stage, even though their final position in the group is yet to be determined.
“Playing against Japan is very meaningful to us but seeing as we’ve qualified for the next stage, we have the option to rotate,” said Lee.
“We won’t give up on the game but will use it to expose the players who haven’t played yet. We will prepare well as we’ve been doing so far."
#AFCU20 | Group D : Thailand 1 - 4 Korea Republic
“They (Japan) are well known for tacticall football, have good technical strength and share similar characteristics across all their age groups. I know the Japanese style well and will prepare accordingly.”
Lee maintained eight players in the matches against Yemen and Thailand, with the likes of Sung Shin, Kim Tae-won and Yoon Do-young among those who could be given a rest.
#AFCU20 | Group D : Syria 2 - 2 Japan
Meanwhile, Japan are still seeking to seal their place in the next stage after being held 2-2 by Syria on Monday, but another draw will suffice for Yuzo Funakoshi’s to go through.
“Korea Republic will always be Korea Republic and they will be tough to beat,” said head coach Funakoshi. “They have a good team.
“We played with a three-man backline (against Syria) and had to change our formation in the second period. We will look at our game against Syria and improve on some of the areas.”
Japan v Korea Republic
Venue: Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Pitch 1 (Shenzhen)
Kick-off: Thursday, 15:00 (UTC+8)
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