Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Seoul: Korea Republic coach Choi Kang-hee has said that he is keen to see healthy competition for a place in the national team after seeing the Taeguek Warriors advance to the Fourth Round of Asian Qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Kuwait.
"We are now in the crucial final stage (of World Cup qualifying) and I am sure that a lot of players will get their chance in the next round," Korea coach Choi Kang-hee told reporters after Wednesday's win.
"If you have quality and the right mentality then the door to the national team is open."
Choi, who added that he is keen to draft in some younger players following Korea Republic's participation in the London Olympics, admitted that the 2002 World Cup semi-finalists were not at their best against Kuwait at the Seoul World Cup Stadium but believed they picked up their game after the interval.
"The game didn't go as expected but we still got what we deserved," the former Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors manager continued.
"Kuwait were the better side in the first-half and created some excellent chances but we controlled the second-half and were duly rewarded with the goals."
Those goals came courtesy of 2011 AFC Champions League top scorer Lee Dong-gook and Lee Kuen-ho as the Koreans ultimately avoided defeat to the Kuwaitis who would have advanced to the fourth round if they could have beaten Choi's charges in their own backyard.