'Lonely 57 minutes': Son Heung-min substituted early alongside Oh Hyeon-gyu for 'two consecutive' changes... Despite dedicating himself to 100% success in ground-ball duels, he had no shots.

*This content was translated by AI.

'Captain' Son Heung-min (LAFC) left the field without converting a scoring opportunity. Following the first match against Czechia, he was substituted out for the second consecutive game alongside Oh Hyeon-gyu (Fenerbahçe).

'The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, lost 0-1 to Mexico in the second group stage match of Group A at the 2026 North American World Cup, played at the Guadalajara Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 19th (Korea time).

'South Korea, which had defeated Czechia in the first match, maintained second place in the group with one win and one loss (three points) following today's defeat. Mexico sits atop the group with two consecutive wins (six points).

'After conceding the opening goal in the 5th minute of the second half due to a painful error by goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, coach Hong Myung-bo immediately sought changes in the attacking lineup. In the 12th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min and Lee Jae-sung were called to the bench, while Oh Hyeon-gyu and Hwang Hee-chan were brought on.

'The most notable point was the early substitution of ace Son Heung-min. Following the first match against Czechia, Son Heung-min was substituted out again today alongside Oh Hyeon-gyu, ending his match early.

'Son Heung-min, who fought hard for his first World Cup goal, had a disappointing scoring chance in the first half. In the 16th minute of the first half, Son Heung-min perfectly penetrated the space behind the Mexican defense and attempted a clever lob shot in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, but a defender cleared it away in front of the goal. Although an offside was called immediately after the shot, the process that did not lead to a goal left a sense of regret.

'Son Heung-min left the field with a stern expression and sat on the bench with coach Hong Myung-bo and Haifa Ibh. Regret was clearly visible on his face.

'According to football statistics specialist 'FootMob', Son Heung-min had fewer than 21 touches, but recorded a 100% success rate in ground-ball duels (5/5) and a 100% success rate in dribbles (3/3). His three successful dribbles were the highest in the team.

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*This content was translated by AI.