"Worst match in history": Korean commentator's public outrage, Hong Myung-bo's team faces the dreaded reality

*This content was translated by AI.

It truly turned out that the "unlikely" scenario became reality. Hong Myung-bo's team failed to advance to the 2026 FIFA World Cup North, Central America and Caribbean Round of 32. Although advancing as the third-place team in the group could open a path to the Round of 32, the possibility is not particularly high. The team's performance, which even commentators publicly criticized as the "worst match in history," was an even greater problem.

South Korea, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, lost 0-1 to South Africa in the final Group A match of the tournament held at the Monterrey Stadium on the 25th (Korea time). The FIFA ranking is 25th for South Korea and 60th for South Africa. South Korea, considered the weakest team in the group, could have advanced to the Round of 32 as the second-place team in the group on its own strength by merely drawing with South Africa, but it could not meet that condition and bowed its head.

With this defeat, South Korea remained at three points (one win, two losses), trailing behind Mexico (nine points) and South Africa (four points) to finish third in the group. It failed to secure the direct Round of 32 qualification spots reserved for the first and second-place teams in each group. South Korea must now compete for the remaining Round of 32 spots, which are awarded to the top eight third-place teams among the 12th groups. A record of three points with a goal difference of -1 is not considered a "safe" condition.

The frustrating performance throughout the match was the main issue. South Korea was shaken by South Africa's counterattacks from the first half. Had it not been for Lee Ki-hyuk's (Kangwon FC) super defense and Kim Seung-gyu's (FC Tokyo) super saves, the team might have conceded a goal from the start of the first half. At least, the team attempted a turnaround by simultaneously using three substitution cards, including Son Heung-min (LAFC), at the beginning of the second half, but the situation did not change.

Ultimately, Hong Myung-bo's team conceded the first goal in the 18th minute of the second half, pushing them to the brink. Even so, Coach Hong made no significant tactical changes, proceeding only with player substitutions. In the end, South Korea, which continued to struggle until the final moments, lost 0-1 to South Africa. Ultimately, South Korea, which only needed a draw, was pushed to third place in the group. The worst-case scenario became reality.

Immediately after the match, JTBC commentator Kim Hwan stated, "Personally, I think this was the worst match in history," offering an unusual public criticism. This was a sharp rebuke for failing to secure a favorable condition where a draw would suffice, as well as for the repeated frustrating performance in terms of match content. JTBC commentator Park Ji-sung also pointed out, "We need to reconsider whether this was a match played with the intention to win."

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*This content was translated by AI.