"Worse than the loss to Mexico": U.S. media criticizes Hong Myung-bo's team... "Missing passes + chaotic ball control, where was the performance in the first two matches?"

*This content was translated by AI.

Fox Sports U.S. pointed out that Hong Myung-bo's team's performance was "shoddy."

On the 25th (Korean time), Fox Sports reported, "The most striking aspect of South Korea's first 45 minutes was how shoddy the ball control was between the midfield and the defensive line."

It further noted, "The Taegeuk Warriors repeatedly lost possession, had their passes blocked, and kicked the ball out of bounds."

The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, lost 0-1 to South Africa in the Group A final third-round match of the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean Cup at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on this day.

With one win and two losses (three points), South Korea fell to third place in the group, eliminating their chance of direct advancement to the round of 32. In this tournament, the eight best-performing third-place teams advance to the knockout stage. Consequently, South Korea must now wait for the results of other matches.

On this day, South Korea was outshot 4-10 in the first half. They also trailed 1-10 in tackles, allowing South Africa to dominate completely. The media stated, "What makes this so surprising is the stark contrast with South Korea's first two matches. Even when they lost to Mexico, South Korea handled the ball much more cleanly and demonstrated superior tactical execution."

In the second half, head coach Hong Myung-bo made extensive substitutions, including Son Heung-min, Jens Castrof, and Cho Gue-sung, in an attempt to turn the tide. However, the team's performance did not improve significantly. The media also noted that South Korea's substitutions had no effect whatsoever, harshly criticizing that "the smooth passing play occasionally seen in the matches against Czechia and Mexico was completely absent in this third game."

The media added, "If South Korea fails to advance to the round of 32 with three points, the team's rapid decline in performance throughout this tournament will be extensively investigated and analyzed by Korean media for a long time."

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

*This content was translated by AI.