Reaching the Round of 32 appeared unlikely considering the team’s performance. The offense struggled to break through the opponent’s defensive area, midfielders frequently relied on backward passes, and the defense was helpless against the opponent’s quick counterattacks. The coach’s strategies for winning were not evident, and the players seemed incapable of running effectively. Both technical ability and determination were lacking in a shameful performance.
In the third Group A match of the FIFA World Cup in North America, which took place at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on the 25th, South Korea played against South Africa and had the chance to advance as group runners-up with just a draw. The atmosphere was decent until the second minute of the first half when Kim Min-jae, from Bayern Munich, scored a sharp header following a corner kick, and in the eighth minute, Lee Kang-in, of Paris Saint-Germain, tested the opponent with a strong left-footed shot inside the box.
Nevertheless, South Africa, after surviving an initial goal threat, found their footing and took command of the match. South Africa required a victory to keep their hopes of reaching the Round of 32 alive. They started to challenge Korea with quick counterattacks and swift passing moves. In the 18th minute of the second half, Thapelo Maseko, from AEL Limassol, netted the crucial goal. Following that, South Africa concentrated entirely on defense to maintain their advantage.
South Korea’s attack was too direct to overcome South Africa’s strong defense. Central midfielders Hwang In-beom, Feyenoord, Paik Seung-ho, Birmingham, and Kim Jin-gyu, Jeonbuk, found it difficult to make effective forward passes into the opponent’s area and ended up passing back. Because the ball didn’t reach Son Heung-min, LAFC, and Lee Kang-in, who should have posed a threat to the opposing defenders, they had to move back into central or defensive roles, repeatedly decreasing the number of attackers inside the opponent’s penalty box. After the game, South Africa’s Hugo Broos said, “Korea tried very hard to tie the game, but there were hardly any moments where we felt threatened.”
On this day, Korea had 61%-30% possession (with 9% duels) but fell behind in shots with 8-13. On-target shots were also lower for Korea at 3-4. Throughout the game, players made several small mistakes. There were multiple occasions where errors in trapping or passing gave the opponent possession, leading to counterattacks. Many crosses went hopelessly out of bounds as players failed to make proper contact with the ball. The BBC stated, “Korea lacked quality in the final third (attacking zone),” noting, “The organized football shown against the Czech Republic was gone, and the players looked downcast.” Not scoring any goals in this match, Korea managed only two goals in three group-stage games, all against the Czech Republic. This is the lowest goal count since the 1998 France World Cup, when coach Cha Bum-kun was fired after the second match following their worst performance (2 goals).
Amid the scorching heat in Monterrey above 35 degrees Celsius, the team ran around without achieving much and displayed a clear drop in energy levels earlier than their opponents. Even after making three substitutions at the beginning of the second half, they were unable to secure a physical edge. Because of the players’ slow movements, a reporter questioned coach Hong Myung-bo during the post-match press conference, “Did the whole team suffer from food poisoning?” Captain Son Heung-min stated, “Since we faced the same weather and conditions as the opponent, it can’t be an excuse,” adding, “We need to thoroughly review what exactly went wrong at this moment.”
This was a game that naturally led to questions regarding the team’s tactical and physical preparation. Korea’s predictable attacking strategies and defensive weaknesses have been consistent problems since coach Hong Myung-bo implemented the three-back system last year. The same concerns were raised following their 0-1 loss to Mexico, and ultimately, without any signs of improvement, they faced a disgraceful defeat against a less formidable South Africa. Park Ji-sung, a commentator for JTBC, commented, “The national team’s tactics remained unchanged from the first to the third matches. I’ve never felt this frustrated while watching a national team match.” He further stated, “Even if they progress to the Round of 32, I question whether they can showcase strong performance.”
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