"When the wing-backs push up, the space behind becomes empty." South Africa identifies the weakness... Preparing to focus attacks on the wide areas behind the defense.

*This content was translated by AI.

South Africa, the final opponent of the South Korean national football team in the group stage, has identified key points to exploit. While cautioning against South Korea's attacking lineup featuring Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), local analysis suggests that South Africa must focus on targeting the space behind the full-backs.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, will face South Africa in the third group stage match of the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup Group A at Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe, Mexico, on the 25th (Korean time). Currently, South Korea sits in second place in the group with one win and one loss (three points), while South Africa is in fourth place with one draw and one loss (one point). South Korea will advance to the round of 32 with just a draw. In contrast, South Africa is in a situation where a win is absolutely necessary.

On the 22nd, South African media outlet IOL stated, "South Africa's World Cup journey now has only one match remaining. Under the guidance of coach Hugo Broos, South Africa faces South Korea, a team that can quickly punish mistakes. At the same time, South Korea also has weaknesses that South Africa can exploit." The outlet added, "With Mexico having already secured a spot in the round of 32, the battle for second place in Group A remains open. Therefore, for South Africa to keep its World Cup hopes alive, it must display the most powerful tactical performance of this tournament."

The media highlighted South Korea's strength as its attacking lineup filled with superstars. It pointed to team captain Son Heung-min as "South Korea's biggest threat" and highly praised Lee Kang-in, stating that he "brings creativity and composure in the lines." It further explained that Wolverhampton attacker Hwang Hee-chan "provides speed and aggressive breakthroughs in the attacking zone."

IOL continued, "South Korea's mobility and technical quality are particularly dangerous in fast transition situations. In the match against Mexico, South Korea created its most threatening scenes when Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-min received the ball in open spaces and drove directly at defenders."

South Africa also faces bad news. Starting midfielder Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns) is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards and cannot play in the match against South Korea. The media also expressed concern that "Mokoena's absence could cost the team some composure and leadership in the central areas." It further noted that South Africa conceded goals early in both the matches against Mexico and Czech Republic, emphasizing that "defensive concentration is extremely important."

However, South Africa has also identified South Korea's weaknesses. The plan is to actually turn South Korea's aggressive tactics against them.

The media analyzed, "South Korea presses aggressively from high up the field. Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) and Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) lead the press from midfield, forcing opponents to make hasty decisions during build-up. However, in the match against Mexico, South Korea struggled when it could not maintain possession for long periods."

It further explained, "South Africa showed improved midfield performance in the match against Czech Republic, which is encouraging for coach Broos. South Africa appeared much more balanced in the 4-3-3 formation used against Czech Republic, with midfielders controlling the game for longer periods and showing better positional stability."

The area South Africa is focusing on most is the flanks. IOL stated, "Ultimately, South Africa's key point of attack is the flanks. South Korea's full-backs often push up to high positions. Therefore, space opens up behind Kim Jin-su and Seol Young-woo during transitions from defense to attack."

It then emphasized, "Players such as Oswyn Appollis and Lelobohile Mopoken (both of Orlando Pirates) could be very important in exploiting this space during counter-attacks."

Of course, the media also evaluated South Korea as the stronger team. IOL said, "There is a reason why South Korea is considered the stronger team. Tactical organization, tournament experience, and the quality of the attacking lineup make South Korea a very dangerous team even under pressure."

However, it advised that South Africa must actually be more confident to secure a win. The media stated, "South Africa must not just create opportunities. It must remain calm and not be emotionally shaken throughout the match." It added, "South Korea is undoubtedly a team with significant strengths, but there are spaces where South Africa can inflict damage. South Africa must be bold enough to exploit those spaces."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.