The Korean national baseball team failed to advance to the Super Round (semi-finals) that it aimed for.스포츠토토
South Korea, led by head coach Ryu Joong-il, failed to advance to the semifinals of the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12.
The elimination was confirmed on the 17th when there was no match for Korea.
In order for South Korea, which has two wins and two losses in the group stage, to reach the super round, even one of Japan and Taiwan, which were ranked first and second in Group B, had to lose the game on the 17th.
However, Korea's wishes did not come true. Japan defeated Cuba 7-6, and Taiwan defeated Australia 11-3.
The number of cases in which South Korea can move to the super round has all disappeared, with Japan ranking first and Taiwan ranking second.
Korea is the first champion of the Premier 12. It beat the U.S. to win the 2015 finals, where the first competition took place. It lost to Japan in the 2019 finals, where the second competition took place, and ended up as the runner-up.
And four years later, Korea was able to pack up without even being able to perform in the Super Round in Tokyo, Japan.
This is a bitter report card that I received amid a generational change by forming a team of young players.
Since the formation of the national team, concerns have been constantly raised about the weakening of the national team's capabilities. Coach Ryu Joong-il also revealed his goal of advancing to the semifinals, making it difficult to see his capability go higher.
In the end, Korea failed to advance beyond the group league. The team secured the Dominican Republic and Cuba, but lost to Japan and Taiwan, and ended its disappointment.
South Korea, which received the "fall out" report card ahead of the final match, is aiming for the beauty of the end of the game.
South Korea will play the final Group B qualifying match against Australia at Taipei Stadium in Taiwan at 1 p.m. on the 18th (Korea time).
Ko Young-pyo will be on the mound for South Korea's starting pitcher on the same day.
Ko Young-pyo started the game against Taiwan in the first round of the preliminary round on the 13th, but he was sluggish with five hits and six runs in two innings with two home runs, including a grand slam.
South Korea, which was shaken by the collapse of its trusted starting pitcher from the beginning, lost to Taiwan 3-6.
The defeat put a dark cloud on the Korean national team's trip to the Super Round, and Ko Young-pyo also lost face.