Director Lee Min-sung said, "I'm not satisfied" with the draw against Iran

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Min-sung, head coach of the U-23 national soccer team, said, "The results are not unsatisfactory" in the first group match of the 2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup against Iran.

According to the Korea Football Association, head coach Lee Min-sung said shortly after the 0-0 draw against Iran in the first Group C match at Al-Shabab Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the 7th (Korea time), "I'm sorry that we couldn't win against Iran, our strong opponent, but the players worked hard."

On this day, South Korea played with less than 30% of the ball possession in the first half, giving up the lead, and only one shot in the first half. However, he created an opportunity through forward pressure in the second half, and even created a decisive opportunity at the gate in extra time, but it did not come to fruition in the end. The overall ball possession rate of the game was 36%-64%, inferior to Iran, and led 8-6 in the number of shots, but the number of effective shots was one for both South Korea and Iran.

The problem is that Iran is one of the strongest teams in Asia, but the strength of the national team by age, such as U-23, is not as prominent as the A team. In fact, South Korea is inferior to Iran with 10 wins, 10 draws, and 13 losses in the previous matches between the A teams, but South Korea is superior with 6 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses, including the draw on the day. Iran's all-time best performance at the U-23 Asian Cup was also the quarterfinals of the 2016 tournament, and all three other tournaments that made it to the finals were eliminated from the group stage. At the 2024 Qatar Olympics, which also served as a preliminary match for the 2024 Paris Olympics, they were eliminated from the preliminary round and did not even make it to the finals.

Coach Lee Min-sung said, "I'm sorry that I couldn't score a goal in football, but I'll do my best to pass the group stage by playing well against Lebanon and Uzbekistan," adding, "I don't think there's anything wrong with the game against Iran." The part that I wanted came out, too. I was nervous because it was my first game, and in the first half, I couldn't play the game I wanted, but in the second half, I put myself in danger by pressing the opponent's build-up, and I created a chance."

Coach Lee then said, "It's just that I couldn't lead to a goal, but the result is not unsatisfactory. This is the preliminary round. I think we can somehow pass the qualifiers and go to the tournament," he added.

Director Lee Min-sung said, "The defenders want to praise me. I was inexperienced in defense before the tournament, but I am satisfied with the feeling of being organized. "I think it was very difficult to play 90 minutes because they were physically unable to play in the existing team," he said. "The part of creating a chance was also good." I believe the next game will have a better play and bring results."

Regarding the second group match against Lebanon, coach Lee said, "We want to win our game plan in the next game as a family. From the next round, I want to win unconditionally. "I will definitely win by grasping the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent," he added. South Korea will play Lebanon at 8:30 p.m. on the 10th and Uzbekistan at the same time on the 13th. Earlier, Uzbekistan beat Lebanon 3-2. The tournament, which will involve 16 teams, will have the first and second place in each group reach the quarterfinals tournament to determine the winning team.

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*This content was translated by AI.