"A Tragedy Born from Misunderstanding 'One Win as a Sacrifice'": Song Jong-kuk on the Complete Defeat Against South Africa — "The Passing Game Was Missing... Why No Tactical Change While Losing?" [★World Cup Insight by Song Jong-kuk ④]

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korea collapsed after suffering a painful blow against South Africa in the third group stage match of the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup. Typically, by the third group stage match, the parts that had been out of sync should have been coordinated, and the team should have delivered its most complete performance. However, this was the worst match in which the overall balance collapsed, from the defensive line to the midfield and the attacking line.

Blaming environmental factors such as the heat or the condition of the grass for the poor performance is merely an excuse. Players at the level of competing on the grand stage of the World Cup should not require more than 15 minutes to adapt to the ground.

The biggest cause of this crushing defeat was that the "passing game" was completely absent. For a smooth passing sequence, the receiving player must make organic movements first. However, on this day, the player passing the ball moved first, while the receiving player's reaction was slow, causing the attack flow to be cut off repeatedly without connecting through the second or third lines.

With build-up play toward the front blocked, the frontline was also isolated. The bench's decision to substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu for Son Heung-min in the first half, anticipating a packed defense, was understandable. However, with passing errors pouring out from Baek Seung-ho, Hwang In-beom, and even the defensive line, Oh Hyeon-gyu didn't even get a chance to properly control the ball.

The absence of Lee Jae-sung, who played the role of the offensive lubricant, was also painful, and Hwang Hee-chan, who was supposed to break through on the flanks, was pushed back by the opponent's strong marking and adopted a defensive tendency of dribbling toward our own side. As a result, the attack development became even slower.

South Africa, which absolutely needed a win, seemed to know our tactics and started by dropping their line deep and playing thorough defensive football. To control Lee Kang-in's sharp left foot and the speed of Hwang Hee-chan and Oh Hyeon-gyu, they deployed a powerful cooperative defense where two or three players simultaneously surrounded the attackers, and this proved effective. Trapped in the opponent's pressing defense from the flanks, we failed to create any space to break through throughout both halves.

Our defensive organization was a failing grade. We allowed no fewer than 10 shots in the first half alone. The basic principle of defense is to immediately narrow the angle and strongly challenge the opponent from the front or flanks when they attempt a fast counterattack. However, our defenders only kept retreating endlessly toward the penalty box against South African attackers. As the pressure became loose, we had no choice but to give the opponent wide space and shooting opportunities.

South Korea has historically performed poorly against teams regarded as "one-win sacrifices" in the World Cup. The mental aspect is also significant. If approached lightly, sloppy play emerges. For example, when pressure comes, the ball should be safely passed outward, but there were many absurd passing errors, such as forcing the ball inward and losing possession. Since mistakes occurred in our own half rather than the opponent's, there was no way to seize the initiative.

The bench's response by head coach Hong Myung-bo while losing was also disappointing. If a goal was desperately needed after the 35th minute of the second half, they should have switched from a three-back to a four-back formation to reduce the number of defenders and increase the attacking line, or instructed more direct attacking play using target strikers such as Cho Gue-sung. However, they insisted on the existing tactical formation until the final whistle blew.

Even in defeat, if the national team manages to reach the Round of 32, the tasks that must be fixed immediately are clear. The most urgent issue is to narrow the gap between the collapsed defense and the midfield and to reestablish overall team balance.

Furthermore, confidence must be injected into the hesitant passing game. With a passive attitude of fearing the ball will be stolen even when attempting a single pass, it is impossible to overcome the strong teams in the tournament. Monotonous football that relies on individual player skills will not work. The team must regain its lost organizational power by harmonizing the organic breathing among players.

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*This content was translated by AI.