NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia -- Towering striker Kim Shin-wook will start in South Korea's 2018 FIFA World Cup opener against Sweden on Monday.
The starting lineup released by FIFA shows South Korea are likely to use a 4-3-3 formation, with Kim, listed at 197 centimeters, as a surprising starter upfront in their Group F opening match against Sweden at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod, some 425 kilometers east of Moscow. The kickoff time is 3 p.m. local time, or 9 p.m. Seoul time.
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(Yonhap) |
South Korea head coach Shin Tae-yong had kept his lineup for the Sweden match secret, hoping it could keep their European opponents guessing until the last minute. Shin's side used both back three and back four in their World Cup tuneups, though 4-4-2 was their main setup.
Kim will be flanked by Son Heung-min on the left and Hwang Hee-chan on the right. Son, South Korea's attacking ace, usually started as one of the two forwards, but this time he likely play on the wings, as he has mainly done with Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League.
South Korean captain Ki Sung-yueng will act as a deep-lying playmaker behind Koo Ja-cheol and Lee Jae-sung.
South Korea's defense is comprised of right back Lee Yong, left back Park Joo-ho and center backs Jang Hyun-soo and Kim Young-gwon.
Jo Hyeon-woo will play as the starting goalkeeper ahead of Kim Seung-gyu.
Sweden, meanwhile, will go with their usual 4-4-2, with their playmaker Emil Forsberg supporting Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonen in the frontline. Swedish captain Andreas Granqvist will form the center back line with Pontus Jansson as Manchester United's Victor Lindelof turned out to be unavailable due to sickness.
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(Yonhap) |
Below are the starting lineups of South Korea and Sweden for their 2018 World Cup Group F match here on Monday:
South Korea (head coach: Shin Tae-yong)
Goalkeeper: Jo Hyeon-woo
Defenders: Lee Yong, Jang Hyun-soo, Kim Young-gwon, Park Joo-ho
Midfielders: Koo Ja-cheol, Ki Sung-yueng (captain), Lee Jae-sung
Forwards: Hwang Hee-chan, Kim Shin-wook, Son Heung-min
Sweden (head coach: Janne Andersson)
Goalkeeper: Robin Olsen
Defenders: Mikael Lustig, Pontus Jansson, Andreas Granqvist (captain), Ludwig Augustinsson
Midfielders: Viktor Claesson, Sebastian Larsson, Albin Ekdal, Emil Forsberg
Forwards: Marcus Berg, Ola Toivonen
(Yonhap)
