China’s defense is broken. That’s good news for Hwang Sun-hong’s men’s soccer team, which is looking for its third straight Asian Games title.

On Oct. 1, the Korean men’s national team will take on hosts China in the men’s football quarterfinals at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium in China.

South Korea booked their spot in the quarterfinals with a 5-1 win over Kyrgyzstan in the Round of 16. China advanced with a 1-0 win over Qatar in the Round of 16.스포츠토토

South Korea has the edge in objective power. However, the hosts cannot afford to let their guard down. South Korea played China twice in June, splitting a 3-1 win and a 0-1 loss. There have been numerous calls in favor of China at the Asian Games. Additionally, there is no video replay at the Asian Games. This means that if Korea suffers an unfair call or an injury, there’s no turning back.

However, there is good news for South Korea. China is not at 100% strength, missing three starters. “Korea is the Asian Games champion, so their strength is far behind China. This match will be very difficult. China’s main defender Zhang Shenglong was sent off for a direct red card in the Round of 16 and will not play against South Korea. Starting midfielder Gao Tian will also miss the game due to yellow card accumulation.”

“Considering the importance of the game, China will likely overuse center back Chu Chenjie, who suffered a leg injury. Huang Jiahui will play alongside Chu Chenjie. It’s hard to see China winning the World Cup, but it’s possible as they took a point from their last test against South Korea.”

With China’s defense broken down, Huang Sunhong will be able to spur the attack. However, there are no guarantees. There are always unexpected twists and turns in Chinese matches. That’s why it’s just as important that Lee Kang-in, the center of the offense, avoids injury.