Hwang Hee-chan vows to recreate magic moments, eyes win over Czech Republic

Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers, who delivered a dramatic late winner to send South Korea into the round of 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, has pledged to produce more memorable moments at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Speaking to reporters on June 9 local time, Hwang said he hopes to create not just one highlight but several across every match. "I think it would be great if those kinds of moments — like the ones from the 2022 Qatar World Cup — came not just once but multiple times every game," he said. "I'm communicating a lot and preparing hard to make those moments happen, so I'll work to refine them and show that in every match."

Hwang had missed South Korea's first two group-stage matches in Qatar due to a thigh injury, only entering the decisive third game against Portugal in the 21st minute of the second half. In stoppage time, with the score level at 1-1, Son Heung-min broke away alone before threading a pass through the defense to Hwang, who converted the chance with a single touch to complete the comeback.

It was the moment South Korea navigated a maze of permutations to reach the round of 16 in miraculous fashion.

South Korea's first opponent at the North America World Cup is the Czech Republic. Hwang's role is expected to be crucial, as he will need to aggressively exploit the space behind the Czechs' tall but slow defensive line.

Particularly notable is that the Czech captain and defensive anchor is Krejci, a defender who plays alongside Hwang at Wolverhampton.

On Krejci, Hwang said: "He's one of my closest friends on the team. I also think he's one of the players I need to watch out for. I really want to play a game where we can win."

South Korea's opening group match against the Czech Republic kicks off at 11 a.m. on Friday.

손흥민 향해 “군대도 안 간 게” 막말 논란…JTBC “우리 취재진 아냐”

https://biz.heraldcorp.com/article/10767472