It doesn’t lose much in overall power. Their offense is more organized and accurate. However, they are inferior in defensive concentration and are at a physical disadvantage with one less day of rest. In addition, Nigeria are very strong at the back, so the second half will be crucial.
South Korea will take on the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 on Friday (KST). The only Asian team to reach the quarterfinals, South Korea will face the African survivors.
South Korea is unbeaten in four matches at the tournament. They have two wins and two draws, scoring seven goals and conceding five. They have been unlucky to concede three penalties and have been disappointed with their defensive focus. Three of their five conceded goals came in the second half.
Nigeria had three wins, one loss and six goals scored in four matches leading up to the round of 16. Good offensive and defensive balance. What’s more eye-catching is the time of day they score. Five of their six goals have come in the second half. The only goal was an own goal in the first 31 minutes of the first group game against the Dominican Republic. All five of their own goals came in the second half.
It’s also worth noting that all five of Kim’s second-half goals came in the mid-to-late stages. Nigeria scored three goals after the 35th minute and found the back of the net twice in second-half stoppage time, proving that they have a very strong back line.
In this tournament, Nigeria had a lot of fun with counterattacks and late attacks while maintaining a proper offensive and defensive balance. In the final minutes of the game, when their opponents were running out of steam, they used their speed to set the tone for their victory. 메이저놀이터
For Kim Eun-jong-ho, he needs to work on distributing his energy and maintaining his defensive focus. He needs to play cautiously and conserve his energy so that he doesn’t get tired in the deciding games. Improving their accuracy on set pieces, which can be their most effective offense, can also be a key to victory.