Son Heung-min protested something to the referee in the round of 16 against Saudi Arabia at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup held at Doha Education City Stadium in Qatar on the 31st when he decided on the team to build the penalty shootout. He was seen saying something in the process of deciding the goalpost and the team to shoot the penalty shootout with a coin toss.
According to an official from the Korea Football Association, the referee unilaterally decided to conduct a penalty shootout at the left post based on the headquarters’ seats. The decision was made as a broadcast camera was also installed at the left post.
Son Heung-min protested. The goal was to set the goalpost through a coin toss “as stipulated”. It was only Saudi fans behind the goalpost on the other side. There were many factors that could have been disadvantageous to Korea.
The referee decided to throw a coin again in response to Son Heung-min’s opposition to follow the regulations, and the penalty shootout was held at the left post where about 20 Red Devils gathered.
Starting with Son Heung-min, South Korea’s Kim Young-kwon and Cho Kyu-sung all shook the net neatly. Goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo gained strength by making a “super save” of Saudi’s 3rd to 4th kicker’s shot, and Hwang Hee-chan, who played as the 4th kicker, finished it neatly. Cho Kyu-sung’s “theater equalizer” scored in the extra time of the second half, when he was on the verge of losing after the first run, and he wrote a drama in the penalty shootout after an extended battle.
Although the direction of the goal did not directly change the fate of Korea, more than 40,000 Saudi fans gathered at the stadium. The stadium was covered with Saudi Arabia’s “green wave,” and “unilateral” cheers filled the stadium throughout the game. When Korea caught the ball, they booed hard.
A penalty shootout is a psychological battle. Unlike goalkeepers who do not hit hard even if they are unable to block, kickers feel pressured to score a goal. If the penalty shootout was conducted at the opposite goal where Saudi supporters gathered, the possibility that Korean players would have been shaken by the noise of booing and obstruction from Saudi fans cannot be ruled out.
Son’s strength has created a “comfortable mind” where players can throw the Red Devils’ cheer on their backs and start the penalty shootout. An official from the association smiled, saying, “Son Heung-min, who has a lot of international experience, shone through.”
BY: 토토사이트