Alkass Digital
Jurgen Klinsmann has warned his Korea Republic side that there can be no complacency when they take on Malaysia in Group E of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ at Al Janoub Stadium on Thursday.
The Koreans salvaged a last gasp point against Jordan in their second game and it is a lesson that Klinsmann hopes his team have learned from with the two-time winners on four points and needing a win against Malaysia to confirm a top-two finish.
“It’s a very tight group,” said 1990 FIFA World Cup winner Klinsmann. “We’re ready for this difficult game against Malaysia, we have respect for the team. We watched and scouted them, so we’re looking forward to a very exciting match.
“We got a lesson from Jordan, who were highly motivated and kept fighting. We talked about it. We expect the same motivation from Malaysia so there’s no way for us to approach this half-heartedly."
“They made a huge improvement from game one to game two and were unlucky to lose in the final minutes. Mr Kim (Pan-gon - Malaysia head coach) knows these players well having come through the system. But we have to do our job, play hard, keep the tempo high and hopefully get the three points.
“We don’t want to avoid anybody. We go game to game. We respect Malaysia, who played much better in their second game. Whoever comes after that, it’s not important today, first we have to win our game and play well.”
It will be a special game for Kim as he goes up against his country of birth but the Malaysia head coach intends to put the personal links aside and use the match as a gauge for the future.
Malaysia will resume their Preliminary Joint Qualification - Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ in March with a double-header against Oman, which could pave the way for them to potentially face teams like Korea Republic in the future.
“After two games, it’s decided that we can’t go to the Round of 16,” said the 54-year-old. “It’s tough because that was our target for this tournament.
“We’re facing a giant in our last game but it is a positive challenge for us as we have nothing to lose. Depending on the situation, perhaps we may get something. We can use this as a foundation for the future.
“We face World Cup qualification in March and June. If we succeed to go to the final stage, we may get to face such giants again. We want to use this opportunity to taste, feel and learn."
Korea Republic v Malaysia
Venue: Al Janoub Stadium
Kick-off: 14:30 (UTC+3)