"The timing of Son Heung-min's substitution was appropriate, but..." Song Jong-koo reflects on the regrettable Mexico match: "Wingbacks were too passive; be bolder" [★World Cup Insight Song Jong-koo ③]

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, suffered a painful 0-1 defeat in the second group stage match of the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup against Mexico. Both teams employed extremely defensive tactics in the first half, leading to a dull flow that drew booing from the fans in attendance. It is regrettable in many ways that the team could not carry forward the positive momentum from their enjoyable victory against the Czech Republic.

The decisive moment that determined the match outcome stemmed from a defensive error. During a defensive situation, the overlapping movements of goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu and defender Lee Gi-hyeok led to a collision, resulting in an unfortunate concession of the winning goal. Given that the match could have ended in a tense 0-0 draw without this error, the outcome is even more lamentable.

The overall organizational strength of the three-back system is gradually stabilizing as the matches progress. However, the issue of allowing space and shooting angles to opposing attackers in man-marking defense must be addressed.

The fundamental cause of today's defeat lies in the lack of precision in the attacking build-up process. When the opponent dropped their LINE deep and set up a compact defense, creative and sophisticated passing plays to break through were absent. Mexico clearly came prepared with extensive defensive measures.

They perfectly controlled Lee Kang-in, the starting point of our attack, along with the second-line resources. Lee Kang-in's sharp penetrating passes were repeatedly blocked by offside traps or pre-emptive defensive actions. With the ball unable to be resolved in the center, the team resorted to a monotonous pattern of shifting the ball to the flanks and delivering crosses.

The performances of the wingbacks on both flanks, who were expected to open up attacking lanes, fell short of expectations. In the wingback position, which accounts for roughly 60% defense and 40% offense, our players showed a passive tendency to retreat with backward passes instead of driving forward when in possession. There was a lack of options to push forward and unsettle the opponent. With even the wide resources relying on safe backward passes, the Mexican defensive line was able to maintain their formation without significant physical strain.

The bench's decision to substitute Son Heung-min in the second half was appropriate given the isolated state of the attacking line. The attackers were already completely shut out by the opposing defense, leaving them with no viable options.

Fortunately, substitute Cho Gue-sung created threatening moments amidst the frustrating flow. In a situation dominated by monotonous crossing attacks, Cho Gue-sung's overwhelming aerial presence proved to be a major weapon. Although he was blocked, his effort in winning two crucial aerial duels and fighting hard at the forefront is a positive takeaway.

Although the match against Mexico resulted in a bitter defeat, the outlook for the final match against South Africa, which will determine qualification for the round of 16, is very bright. South Africa is in a desperate situation, needing to secure three points in their final group stage match to advance. Therefore, unlike the teams they faced in the first two matches, they cannot huddle defensively and will be forced to raise their LINE from kickoff, playing aggressively and roughly.

This actually sets up a favorable scenario for the Woo Ri (CEO) team. If the opponent attempts a high press and pushes forward, an extremely wide space will form behind their defensive line. This creates an environment where our attacking line's explosive speed and penetrating ability can be fully utilized. It also resolves the tactical dilemma of how to break through the dense compact defense seen in the Mexico match.

In terms of individual skills and abilities, our players hold a significant advantage over South Africa. If we calmly withstand the opponent's fierce initial onslaught and transition into our characteristic fast counterattacks, we should be able to easily manage the game by activating our previously frustrated scoring machine.

Personally, I expect the team to advance from the group stage with a record of two wins and one loss. I hope the team uses the pain of the Mexico match as a valuable learning opportunity and boldly displays the dynamic nature unique to South Korean football in the match against South Africa.

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*This content was translated by AI.