In 'Goal Diggers', ahead of the second Korea-Japan match, a major overhaul of the national team has begun, with a large number of new candidate members joining, indicating a more intense survival competition.
In the SBS entertainment program 'Goal Diggers' (hereafter 'Goal Diggers'), which aired on the 2nd, the scene of coach Lee Young-pyo preparing for a revenge match after a disappointing 3-4 loss in the first Korea-Japan match was depicted.
Coach Lee Young-pyo, who boasted an undefeated myth in Korea-Japan matches during his active career, stated, "We cannot end in defeat," and expressed his determination, saying, "I will establish a new strategy and focus on training for victory." Japanese national team coach Maezono announced that he would approach the second match with the same squad without any member changes, showing a relaxed response by saying, "The revenge match is a revenge match for Korea, while Japan has already won, so it's a rematch."
For the selection of players for the second Korea-Japan match, coach Lee Young-pyo gathered the existing 7 members of the national team and 7 new candidates in one place. The unexpectedly assembled 14 players immediately competed in a trial match.
The 'Team Hwarang', composed of the existing national team, showcased solid teamwork and continued to shine, with Seogi scoring an impressive 4 goals, earning high praise from commentator Lee Geun-ho, who said, "The instantaneous judgment and sense are the best in 'Goal Diggers'." On the other hand, in 'Team Chungmu', composed of reserve members, Shim Eui-deum made a strong impression by pressuring the opponent with speed and physicality, even scoring a goal.
After the match, coach Lee Young-pyo stated, "The competition starts now," and led the candidate players of the Korean national team to a training camp in Jeju Island. Among the existing 7 members, Kang Bo-ram was replaced, and Park Ha-yan, Shim Eui-deum, along with Lee Yoo-jung from 'Top Girl', who made a mark in the G League, were added, increasing the total number of candidates to 10.
Coach Lee Young-pyo explained the background of the recruitment, saying, "I wanted to approach the revenge match with the best player composition. During the process of evaluating new players, Lee Yoo-jung stood out the most." He then informed the players of the "brutal rule" that "the final 7 will be selected for the Korea-Japan revenge match, and one player will be eliminated today and sent home," raising the tension to its peak.
Meanwhile, Japanese national team member Mashima Yu also shared his recent updates through a self-cam. He revealed, "After the last Korea-Japan match, I traveled to Korea privately and played soccer and had meals with the 'Goal Diggers' members," and added, "I started studying Korean to communicate with everyone," drawing attention.
At the end of the broadcast, there was a teaser that "a new member from an idol background will join the Japanese national team," further heating up the excitement for the second Korea-Japan match.
Meanwhile, 'Goal Diggers' airs every Wednesday at 9 PM.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
