Long-Range Shooter Could Be Cup Factor

To throw a knuckle ball, you hold the ball with your index and middle finger as if to knuckle at the ball between seams; and you throw the ball without snapping your wrist, pushing it away from you. This way, the ball does not get spun; but flies on wriggling. Researchers from England and Japan have said that the World Cup play ball Team Geist moves like a knuckle ball—a nightmare for a goalie, but a blessing to a well-tuned shooter. This is one the reason why there have been so many goals scored from a distance in this World Cup.

Team Korea has a player that is perfect match for the Team Geist ball: 24-year-old Kim Dong-jin of FC Seoul, nicknamed “Golden Wings.” Kim is not an attacker. He scored a mere two goals in 35 international matches he played. But his left-footed shooting is the best on the squad. Kim scored a magnificent goal from a distance at friendly against Germany on December 12; and again in January this year, he showed off another picturesque cannon ball of his at the Carlsberg Cup match against Croatia. Another long-ranged goal came off his left foot in the Athens Olympics while playing against Greece.

Due to two yellow cards he received in the World Cup Asian preliminaries last year, he was not able to play in Tuesday’s Togo match. But he is likely to start in the France match scheduled on June 19. Kim Dong-jin is the typical utility player preferred by Dick Advocaat. Under Advocaat’s leadership, Kim has played in 15 of 17 official evaluation matches, thirteen of them as a starter. Many hope that Kim’s left foot will shine again in the next game he plays.

uni@donga.com