Gwanghwamun is seeing a red wave once again.
A street cheer will be organized to support Kim Eun-Joong-ho, who has reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. The Korea Football Association announced, “Seoul and the Red Devils will hold a group street cheer at Gwanghwamun Square to support our national team against Italy in the semifinals of the U-20 World Cup. It will be the first time in seven months that a street cheer has been held in Gwanghwamun since the team’s round of 16 match against Brazil at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last December.
The U-20 team, led by coach Kim Eun-joong, has been performing miracles that no one expected. They were initially penciled in as the underdogs because they lacked a star player, but they have gone from strength to strength. After a thrilling 2-1 victory over France in their first group game, Kim’s team went on to draw with Honduras (2-2) and Gambia (0-0) to finish second in the group. This is the first time Korea has reached the round of 16 unbeaten at a U-20 World Cup. They defeated Ecuador 3-2 in the Round of 16 and then beat Nigeria 1-0 in the quarterfinals on a stoppage-time winner by Choi Seok-hyun. South Korea became the first Asian nation to reach the semifinals of two consecutive tournaments. Coach Kim Eun-joong was in tears after the quarterfinals.
Now, Kim Eun-joong is looking to break another myth. He is aiming to reach the final of two consecutive tournaments. Four years ago in Poland, Chung’s U-20 team reached the final. They finished as runners-up, losing to Ukraine, but it was South Korea’s best-ever finish at a men’s FIFA tournament. Kim Eun-joong-ho will once again try to repeat what he did four years ago. The U-20s will face Italy in the semifinals of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup at the La Plata Stadium in Argentina on June 9 at 6 a.m. KST. Only four countries have ever reached back-to-back finals: the former Soviet Union, Brazil, Portugal, and Argentina. All are major soccer powers. This is South Korea’s chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with them.
Italy is tough. Italy has been on a roll lately at the U-20 World Cup. Unlike the A team, which has failed to qualify for the World Cup in two consecutive tournaments, the U-20 team has been on a roll. They have reached the quarterfinals in three consecutive tournaments, including this one. The Azzurri unleashed their homegrown talent in hopes of winning the tournament, finishing second in a deadly Group D that included Brazil, Nigeria, and the Dominican Republic. In the round of 16, the Azzurri met England, the team that defeated them in the quarterfinals of last year’s European Championship, 2-1, and then defeated South American powerhouse Colombia 3-1 in the quarterfinals to reach the final. ‘Ace’ Cesare Cassaday leads the tournament’s scoring with six goals. He has been responsible for more than half of Italy’s 11 goals. This is the strongest opponent Kim has faced so far. 먹튀검증
It’s a chance for the Little Taeguk Warriors, who are proving themselves against the stigma of the valley generation, to get a boost. Gwanghwamun, the mecca of Korean soccer, is once again the scene of the cheering. It’s early, but you can still help Kim Joong-ho, who is on the verge of a miracle, reach the final. The red wave at Gwanghwamun will be a huge boost for the players, who will be playing a war-like game on the other side of the world.