The Red Devils will gather to cheer on Kim Eun-Joong-ho as he attempts to reach the final of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Under-20 World Cup.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) said on July 7, “The association, together with the city of Seoul and the ‘Red Devils,’ will hold a group street cheer at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on June 9, the day of the match, to support our youth national team as they compete against Italy in the semifinals of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.”
The U-20 team, led by Kim Eun-jung, will face Italy at 6 a.m. ET on June 9 at La Plata Stadium in Argentina for a spot in the final.
On May 5, Kim Eun-Joong defeated Nigeria 1-0 in extra time to reach the quarterfinals for the second consecutive tournament. Throughout the tournament, the Koreans defeated several strong opponents with excellent defensive organization and powerful set pieces.
The team received less attention due to the lack of star players such as Lee Kang-in (Mallorca) four years ago, but Kim caught the attention of fans with his stunning performance from the first game.
Kim defeated ‘favorites’ France 2-1 in Group F, and then went on a five-match unbeaten run (three wins and two draws) until the quarterfinal against Nigeria (1-0) to secure a spot in the last four. According to the association, this is the first time since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup that the Korean men’s and women’s national teams have won three and drawn two of their first five matches in a FIFA-organized tournament.
The team was led by “hexagonal” striker Lee Young-joon (Gimcheon Commerce), who struggled up front, and Lee Seung-won (Gangwon FC), who led the tournament in assists. In defense, Kim Ji-soo (Seongnam FC) and Choi Seok-hyun (Dankook University) locked down the back line. Kim Jun-hong (Gimcheon), who made a series of super saves against France, is also holding firm.스포츠토토
Meanwhile, standing in Kim’s way is ‘powerhouse’ Italy. The Italians have been in excellent form in the tournament with 4 wins, 1 loss, 11 goals, and 6 goals against in five games. The number one player to watch out for is Cesare Cassaday, the tournament’s top scorer. Cassaday plays for Chelsea in the Premier League and has been on loan to Reading this season. He has scored in his last three games in the competition to lead the Azzurri. Other players to watch out for include Tommaso Baldanchi and Francesco Esposito.
If Kim Eun-jung-ho defeats Italy, he will face the winner of Israel-Uruguay in the final.