'Another Class' Lee Kang-in Shone, But... 'Lack of Finishing' Korea, 8-2 Shots → Frustrating Goalless Draw [Live Analysis]

*This content was translated by AI.

Hong Myung-bo's team displayed a solid defensive organization but struggled in the midfield numerical battle, ending the first half in a tight contest with Czech Republic. Both teams operated with extreme stability throughout, with Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain)'s creative individual ability being the only breakthrough in the first half.

The South Korean national football team (ranked 25th) concluded the first half of the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup Group A first-round match against Czech Republic (ranked 41st) at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 12th at 11 a.m. (Korea time) with a scoreless 0-0 draw.

Starting from the middle of the first half, South Korea aggressively targeted the Czech defense, finishing the first half with a significant 8-2 advantage in shots. However, they failed to score due to a lack of finishing ability.

South Korea deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation with Son Heung-min (LAFC) as the lone striker, supported by Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain). The midfield was manned by Lee Tae-seok (Austria Vienna), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City), and Seol Young-woo (Crvena Zvezda). The defense consisted of Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland) in a back three. Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo) guarded the goal.

Czech Republic countered with the same 3-4-2-1 formation, placing Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen) at the forefront and using Tomas Soucek (West Ham United) as the midfield nucleus.

In the early first half, South Korea's defense, based on a back three, stood out for its ability to block Czech attacks, but it struggled with smooth forward buildup due to a numerical shortage in the midfield. Even when Baek Seung-ho or Hwang In-beom dropped deep to receive the ball, they encountered strong Czech midfield pressure and a numerical disadvantage, making ball progression unsmooth.

Both teams, extremely wary of conceding goals, refrained from over-lapping during attack development and focused on maintaining defensive numbers, leading to a prolonged battle dominated by low-probability long passes.

Amidst this tactical frustration, the difference was made by Lee Kang-in. Playing as a right attacking midfielder, Lee Kang-in did not stay on the flank but dropped deep into the midfield to directly participate in backward buildup.

Notably, in the 9th minute of the first half, Lee Kang-in used his flashy individual skills to draw a foul from Czech captain and key defender Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton Wanderers), creating a sharp free-kick opportunity. In the 14th minute, he fired a powerful left-footed mid-range shot from directly in front of the goal, targeting the Czech right side, but was thwarted by a super save from Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar, leaving him frustrated.

Czech Republic also showed clear signs of struggling in attack development. They stubbornly insisted on monotonous attacks dominated by long balls, especially from the half-line area. Even during free-kick situations, they unconditionally lofted the ball high to target South Korea's penalty box, but were blocked by South Korea's defensive wall centered on Kim Min-jae.

In the middle of the first half, as Czech Republic itself struggled to even enter the final third, Schick of Czech Republic displayed frustrated gestures after a passing error.

Even after the hydration break around the 22nd minute of the first half, the trend remained unchanged: Hong Myung-bo's team sought openings with short passes, while Czech Republic stuck to long balls.

In the late first half, South Korea, led by Son Heung-min, seized decisive chances and struck at the Czech goal. In the 39th minute, Son Heung-min executed his signature solo dribble and fired a curling left-footed shot near the penalty box, but the ball failed to curl properly and went wide to the left of the goal. Even in stoppage time, Son Heung-min rushed toward the goal and connected with a cross coming from the left with his right foot, but the shot was not struck accurately.

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*This content was translated by AI.