ASIAD 18: South Korea saves Son Heung-min for the match against... Vietnam

According to the latest statement to the press, coach Kim Hak-bum of the Korean Olympic team has shown great confidence in deciding to allow superstar Son Heung-min to stay in England to compete in the first rounds of the 2018-19 Premier League.

It is expected that Mr. Kim will only use this "trump card" when the Korean Olympic team reaches the round of 16 of the 18th ASIAD.

Not only that, the 58-year-old strategist also calculated which opponent he would face in the first knockout round. In which, the most likely possibility is that the Korean Olympic team will win Group E, and will face the second team in Group D, the Vietnamese Olympic team.

"I have decided to only use Son Heung-min in matches from the knockout round against very strong opponents, as well as teams that play very good counter-attacking defense like Olympic Vietnam" - Thanh Nien newspaper quoted coach Kim Hak-bum.

The prospect of Quang Hai, Cong Phuong and teammates having the opportunity to compete with Son Heung-min is entirely possible.

"The Vietnam Olympics, like the Thailand Olympics, are the strongest teams in Southeast Asia. Every time Korea meets these opponents, it is very difficult. In addition to expertise, the weather also helps them play better than us."

"My players are not used to the hot, humid weather conditions in Southeast Asia in general and Indonesia in particular," he analyzed.

According to the Korean news site Yonhap, recently, Mr. Kim Hak-bum's assistants have also quietly and carefully studied the Vietnam Olympic team at the International U23 tournament in Hanoi.

Coach Park Hang-seo himself confirmed this information at a press conference. "Let me tell you this! Even though we are not in the same group as the Vietnamese Olympic team at the 18th ASIAD, the Korean side still sent two people here to watch us," he revealed to reporters.