U23 Korea lost Kim Ji-soo before the match against U23 Vietnam
Kim Ji-soo has withdrawn from the South Korea U23 team participating in the 2025 Panda Cup due to a thigh strain. Coach Lee Min-sung's team lost 0-4, 0-2 in the October training camp and will fly from Incheon to Chengdu on the 10th to play Uzbekistan on the 12th.
South Korea's U23 squad suffered a major blow ahead of the 2025 Panda Cup: Kaiserslautern midfielder Kim Ji-soo was unable to join the team due to a thigh strain, forcing the team to make a substitution. This development came just days after the team announced their 24-man squad and just before their scheduled trip to China.
Kim Ji-soo withdraws and the consequences for the Korean U23 defense
On November 7, defender Kim Ji-soo announced that he would not be able to participate due to a thigh strain. Previously, he was the most notable name in the list announced on November 4, along with Kim Yong-hak (Portimonense) and Kim Myung-jun (Genk in Belgium), along with many K-League players. The absence of the key central defender forced the coaching staff to adjust the personnel for the 2025 Panda Cup.
Key time frame for U23 Korea
| Mold | Content |
|---|---|
| 4/11 | Announced the list of 24 players attending the Panda Cup 2025 in China, notably including Kim Ji-soo (Kaiserslautern), Kim Yong-hak (Portimonense), Kim Myung-jun (Genk) |
| 7/11 | Kim Ji-soo withdraws from team due to thigh strain; team must make substitution |
| 10/11 | Meet at Incheon Airport, fly directly to Chengdu |
| Day 12 | The first match against Uzbekistan; played behind closed doors as the two teams are in the same group at the Asian Cup group stage in January next year |
Professional context: pressure after October training trip
During the training session in Saudi Arabia in October, the Korean U23 team suffered two consecutive defeats against the host U23 Saudi Arabia with scores of 0-4 and 0-2. This result created significant pressure for coach Lee Min-sung before entering the 2025 Panda Cup.
| Competitor | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia U23 | 0-4 | October training trip |
| Saudi Arabia U23 | 0-2 | October training trip |
Opponents and the situation of Panda Cup 2025
The opening match against Uzbekistan was played behind closed doors as the two teams will meet in the group stage of the Asian Cup in January next year. Compared to the U23 Korea, both the U23 Uzbekistan and U23 China teams did not use their best players of the same age group; their squads included many players born in 2005, aiming to prepare for the 2028 Olympics.
U23 Vietnam and the meaning of Panda Cup 2025
U23 Vietnam will use the best force with most of the pillars who won the U23 Southeast Asia Championship 2025 and qualified for the U23 Asia Championship 2026. With the upcoming schedule, Panda Cup 2025 is considered an important opportunity for U23 Vietnam to prepare for the 33rd SEA Games taking place in December in Thailand.
Technical notes
- Head coach of the Korean U23 team Lee Min-sung used to be an assistant to Lee Jang-soo in China, thereby becoming familiar with the football environment there.
- The U23 Korea - Uzbekistan match on the 12th will be held without spectators to limit the exposure of tactics before the Asian Cup group stage in January next year.
