The Olympic team clinched a perfect win through 'team play'. The team advanced to the quarterfinals in early stages.

January 16 (KST) - Coach Shin Taeyong led the Olympic team against Yemen at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar, in the second Group C match of the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship. The U-23 Championship also serves as final qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Kwon Changhoon returned to the starting lineup and scored a hat-trick with Ryu Seungwoo and Kim Seungjun also scoring a goal each. Korea won 5-0.

Coach Shin Taeyong made some changes to the team, compared to the previous match against Uzbekistan. The 4-4-2 diamond formation changed to an attacking 4-1-4-1 formation. Hwang Heechan (Salzburg) started as the lone center forward. Ryu Seungwoo (Leverkusen), Lee Changmin (Jeju), Kwon Changhoon (Suwon), and Kim Seungjun (Ulsan) were the second-line of midfielders. Park Yongwoo (Seoul) was deployed as the holding midfielder. Shim Sangmin (Seoul), Jung Seunghyun (Ulsan), Yeon Jeimin (Suwon), Lee Seulchan (Jeonnam) made up the backline. The goalkeeper was Kim Dongjun (Seongnam).

From the start, the Olympic team was aggressive. Yemen played a deeper defensive system that only allowed the Korea midfield to pick around for holes and take quick, long-range shots. Korea was very active on the flanks with Ryu Seungwoo on the left and Kim Seungjun on the right. Their active play caused problems for the Yemen defense.

The opening goal came in the 14'. Korea's systematic passing play caused the breakthrough. It started in the midfield with Kim Seungjun who drove forward and passed to Hwang Heechan. Hwang received the ball and turned, and then passed it forward to Kwon Changhoon who calmly clipped the ball over the keeper.

After the goal the Olympic team raised the pressure on Yemen. All of the play was in the Yemen side of the pitch. In the 31' the Olympic team added a second goal. Again it was Kwon Changhoon who scored. Lee Seulchan crossed from just outside the Yemen box, and Kwon Changhoon rose high and headed home.

Kwon Changhoon added another goal in the 41' to complete his hat-trick. Hwang Heechan dribbled in from the left wing, and then passed the ball to Ryu Seungwoo in the center. Ryu flicked the ball on to the right side to Kwon Changhoon who controlled the ball and then blasted a right-footed shot past the keeper. The first-half ended with the Olympic team up 3-0.

At the beginning of the second-half, coach Shin Taeyong withdrew Lee Changmin and introduced Moon Changjin, who had scored two against Uzbekistan. Yemen also pushed their side into a more attacking position. The initiative was still the Olympic team's. From set pieces and passes from open play, they were constantly threatening Yemen.

Midway through the second-half the Olympic team won a series of set piece plays and chances to score another goal. However, they couldn't put any of them away. In the 72' coach Shin Taeyong made a change to the attack by removing Hwang Heechan and introducing Kim Hyun. Kim Hyun's introduction was a way to manage the team's condition for the rest of the matches.

The team's fourth goal came in the 72'. Kwon Changhoon dribbled into the Yemen box, and then passed to his left to Ryu Seung woo who scored. The Olympic team cut off the Yemen attack, and perfectly countered.

The Olympic team scored their fifth and final goal in the 76'. Kim Seungjun received the ball in the area following Korea's build up play and smoothly finished. The win was in the bag. Nonetheless, Korea continued to threaten the Yemen goal with Kwon Changhoon hitting the crossbar and Lee Yeongjae stinging the keeper's palms. The match finished 5-0.

<2016 Rio Olympic Final Quaifying/AFC U-23 Championship Group C Match 2>

South Korea 5-0 Yemen....
(Picture from Korea REP Official site)...

＞＞READ MORE "KOREA FA"