Park Ji-sung, a sharp critique of the tough match against South Africa: "No team spirit shown; it's the third group stage match, but the players are not in sync"

*This content was translated by AI.

As the South Korean national football team struggled throughout the first half in their Group A third match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against South Africa, JTBC commentator Park Ji-sung could not hide his disappointment.

During the live broadcast of the Group A match against South Africa at the stadium in Monterrey, Mexico, on the 25th (Korean time), commentator Park Ji-sung stated, "There is no sign of team cohesion. The players are not moving in sync." He added, "The timing is off. It's the third group stage match, and a particularly important one, so it's disappointing that the players are not in sync."

In fact, South Korea (ranked 25th in the FIFA rankings) struggled throughout the first half against South Africa (ranked 60th). Since a draw would be enough to advance to the Round of 32, South Korea opted not to launch reckless attacks but instead focused on building possession from the back. However, aside from a sharp long-range shot by Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain early in the first half, the team struggled to create any significant opportunities.

Instead, South Korea was repeatedly shaken by South Africa's sharp counterattacks. The team narrowly avoided several critical scoring threats thanks to super defense by Lee Gi-hyuk of Gangwon FC and super saves by goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu of FC Tokyo. Conversely, when launching attacks, South Korea failed to display sharpness. With build-up play failing to flow smoothly, Lee Kang-in even dropped deep into the three-back defensive line. Even when Lee Kang-in gained possession, his teammates were more focused on holding their positions than creating space, making it difficult to generate chances.

Commentator Park Ji-sung said, "Ultimately, the area that needs improvement in the second half is movement. When one player gets the ball, others must move accordingly to create space." He continued, "Simply standing still is only appropriate when there are no opposing defenders nearby to receive the ball. I hope the players are aware of these aspects and play accordingly." Although South Korea led in first-half possession with 61% to 39%, they were outshot 4 to 10.

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*This content was translated by AI.