Talented midfielder injured ahead of S. Korea's Olympic football qualification

South Korea lost one of its most gifted young players ahead of its early Olympic football qualification matches scheduled in Indonesia, officials announced Monday.

The Korea Football Association said Ryu Seung-woo, a midfielder for the second-division German club Eintracht Braunschweig, has suffered a partially torn knee ligament in a league match and will not suit up for the South Korean under-22 team.

The U-22 squad, coached by Shin Tae-yong, traveled to Indonesia last Friday for the qualification for the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship. South Korea will face Brunei on March 27, Timor-Leste on March 29 and Indonesia on March 31.

The team with the best record after round-robin play in Indonesia will advance to next year's AFC U-23 Championship, and the top three teams from that competition will qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Shin opened camp in South Korea last week, and Ryu had been set to fly in from Germany to join the rest of the team in Indonesia.

Ryu is widely considered among the most talented playmakers in his age group, and Shin had said he was hoping Ryu's versatility would spark the static offense.A South Korean collegiate player Lee Han-do was named as Ryu's replacement on the 23-man team.

Without Ryu, South Korea is still favored to come out on top in its group. (Yonhap)