Kim Min-jae misses second day of training, likely out v Uzbekistan

📰 Kim Min-jae has missed two days of team training in a row and looks likely to sit out South Korea's game against Uzbekistan on 6 October. 📌 Key points 🏃 Kim did individual recovery work instead of team training on 4 and 5 October. 🩺 A KFA official said it was accumulated fatigue rather than a serious injury. 🚫 He has not been released from the squad but is unlikely to play against Uzbekistan. 🧱 Kim Tae-hyeon and Lee Han-beom are expected to form the centre-back pairing if he is out. 🗣️ Moreno said he would resolve any internal issues directly with players. 📝 What happened 🏟️ Kim did not take part in the final session at the Korea Football Park in Cheonan on 5 October, the day before the match. A KFA official said he trained individually instead of joining the group, as he had also done on 4 October. 🩺 The official explained that the injury was not serious enough to release him, and that the number of games he had played seemed to have caught up with him. Kim had started at centre-back in all three of Moreno's previous games, against Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela. 🔥 After the Venezuela game Kim said "the whole team needs to fight together", pointing to problems with the defensive organisation, and his frustration when substituted in that match drew attention. Moreno said: "When emotions are running high after a game, anything can be said. If there is something I need to resolve, I will always do it face to face with the player, internally." 🧱 Without Kim, Kashima Antlers' Kim Tae-hyeon is expected to partner Lee Han-beom. Kim Tae-hyeon admitted that "in such a short period, things haven't clicked yet" and said the defence needs time. 📊 By the numbers • Two consecutive days of missed team training (4–5 October) • Kim started all three games under Moreno • Moreno's record: W1 D1 L1 (3-0, 1-4, 0-0) 🔭 Why it matters Kim is the cornerstone of Korea's defence. Facing Uzbekistan without him is another test for a Moreno side whose defensive structure already looks shaky. There will also be questions over whether this is purely workload management or linked to the mood after the Venezuela game. South Korea face Uzbekistan at the Yongin Mireu Stadium at 8pm local time on 6 October, the last of their four September–October fixtures.