Head coach Hong Myung-bo is embarking on the second test in search of the 'new faces of the Taegeuk Warriors' through the match against Hong Kong.

The South Korean national football team, led by Hong Myung-bo, will face Hong Kong at 8 p.m. on the 11th at Yongin Mir Stadium in the second match of the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup).

Since this tournament is not held during an official FIFA match window, Hong Myung-bo has primarily selected K-League players for this roster.

This tournament is becoming a 'test stage' that provides actual combat opportunities for players who lack experience in the national team.

Hong Myung-bo's team previously secured a 3-0 victory over China in the opening match held on the 7th, during which six players, including Kim Bong-soo (Daejeon), Lee Ho-jae (Pohang), Kang Sang-yoon (Jeonbuk), Mo Jae-hyun, Seo Min-woo (both Gangwon), and Lee Seung-won (Gimcheon), made their A-match debuts.

Many players are expected to be given opportunities in the match against Hong Kong as well.

Hong Kong is ranked 153rd in the FIFA rankings and is the weakest among the participating countries. South Korea is ranked 23rd. Players who still lack A-match experience, including Kim Tae-hyun (Kashima), Seo Myeong-kwan, Cho Hyun-taek (all Ulsan), Byun Joon-soo (Gwangju), Kim Tae-hyun (Jeonbuk), Jeong Seung-won (Seoul), and Kim Dong-heon (Incheon), are also likely to get a chance to play in the match against Hong Kong.

Tactical experiments can continue as well. Head coach Hong Myung-bo, who deployed a three-back formation against China, is expected to test new tactical combinations in the match against Hong Kong.

Hong Myung-bo's team conducted a final training session from 6 p.m. for about 1 hour and 30 minutes in preparation for the match against Hong Kong. According to the Korea Football Association (KFA), the training began with a 5-minute physical coordination exercise. After that, they practiced ball possession passing drills with touch limitations for 20 minutes, divided into three teams to enhance their sense. For 30 minutes, they held a practice match divided into two teams for tactical training in preparation for the match against Hong Kong.

The final part consisted of set-piece and penalty kick training. The national team dedicated 20 minutes to corner kick and set-piece training. The last 10 minutes were spent on penalty kick practice.

The KFA noted, 'We conducted normal training even in the heat with a perceived temperature of over 36 degrees.'

South Korea aims to secure its sixth title in this tournament, marking the first in six years. In the previous tournament held in Japan in 2022, it finished as the runner-up.

Again, it is highly likely that the outcome will be decided in the final match against Japan.

In the men's East Asian Cup, South Korea, Japan, China, and Hong Kong will participate in a league format, with the team earning the most points declared the champion.

Japan secured a 6-1 victory over Hong Kong in the first match on the 8th. If both South Korea and Japan come together with two consecutive wins, the points could be tied. In this case, goal differential could determine the champion.

For South Korea, it is essential to score as many goals as possible in the match against Hong Kong.

South Korea has a dominant historical record against Hong Kong, with 22 wins, 5 draws, and 2 losses. Since 1958, it has never lost a match. It has had 14 consecutive wins since the draw at the Merdeka Cup in 1972. In the last three encounters, it has won with a score without conceding a goal.

The last time Hong Kong scored against South Korea was during the 2003 East Asian Cup when it scored 1 goal.

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