Ji So-yun will miss Taeguk Ladies' friendlies in New Zealand

Veteran midfielder Ji So-yun will be unable to join the Taeguk Ladies for two upcoming friendlies due to an injury in her right ankle that requires surgery. The team is scheduled to fly to New Zealand to play two friendlies on Nov. 12 and Nov. 15.

Ji So-yun runs after scoring a goal from a penalty shot against China during the Asian Football Confederation Women's Asian Cup India final match between China and Korea in Navi Mumbai on Feb. 6. [AFP/YONHAP]

Veteran midfielder Ji So-yun will be unable to join the Taeguk Ladies for two upcoming friendlies due to an injury in her right ankle that requires surgery.

The women’s national team is scheduled to fly to New Zealand to play two friendlies against New Zealand on Nov. 12 and Nov. 15. The Taeguk Ladies will not only be starting training on Monday without Ji but also Jeon Eun-ha who was excluded from the friendlies roster due to an injury.

“Ji will undergo surgery on her ankle while Jeon will not be competing due to a lumbar sprain,” the Korea Football Association announced on Sunday. “Park Ye-eun and Bae Ye-bin will be taking their places in New Zealand.”

Ji’s injury comes as a big blow to the Korean women’s football team as she is the most experienced player in women’s football in Korea.

She debuted on the national team at only 15-years-old, becoming the youngest-ever Taeguk Lady, and has scored 64 goals for the national team, making her Korea's all-time leading goal scorer across all teams, all divisions, all genders and all competitions. She broke Korean football legend Cha Bum-kun's record of 59 goals earlier this year.

Ji scored the winner for Korea against Australia in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup in January, helping Korea qualify for their third consecutive World Cup and fourth overall.

Korea qualified for the 2023 World Cup after the 1-0 victory over Australia in the AFC cup. Australia was the highest-ranked team in the tournament, standing at No. 11 at the time and seven spots above Korea.

Korea is in Group H alongside world No. 3 Germany, No. 76 Morocco and No. 27 Colombia. While Korea is the second-highest ranked country in Group H, Germany is an opponent that will be difficult to match.

No. 76 Morocco will make their first appearance at the Women's World Cup next year and is set to become the first Arab nation to compete in the tournament.

With Germany expected to advance and Morocco expected to struggle, Korea’s first group stage match against No. 27 Colombia on July 25 could essentially decide who will get to stay and who will be sent home.

While it is unlikely Ji’s injury will prevent her from joining the Taeguk Ladies at the World Cup, it comes as a big disappointment for head coach Colin Bell and the team as the two friendlies would have served the Taeguk Ladies as a chance to tune-up in New Zealand where next year’s World Cup will be co-hosted.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]