Coach Lee Min-seong openly shouted, "Good performance? From now on, it's all about 'results'." [Nagoya Field Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

"You may want a good performance, but from now on, we must deliver results."

Coach Lee Min-seong of the South Korean U23 Asian Games team stated firmly with emphasis. This came immediately after the team advanced through the group stage of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men's football tournament with two consecutive victories at Nagoya Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium on the 22nd. Earlier, in the first Group D match, Lee Min-seong's squad had decisively defeated Qatar 4-1 and already secured their spot in the quarterfinals. On this day, they overwhelmed Saudi Arabia 2-0, confirming their advancement as group winners.

They did not completely dominate Saudi Arabia in terms of performance. Although South Korea controlled much of the game, their first shot of the first half came only midway through, and the score remained 0-0 at halftime. Given that the opposing team consisted of players aged 21 and under—two years younger than South Korea's squad—the 0-0 stalemate felt somewhat frustrating. However, Lee Min-seong's team scored two consecutive headers in the second half to seize control and ultimately secured a decisive 2-0 victory. Despite facing criticism since their formation last year, the team has now advanced to the knockout stage by securing two straight wins in the group stage.

From now on, it is all about "single-match knockouts." A single loss means immediate elimination. For South Korean football, the only goal is to win the gold medal, which requires winning three consecutive matches: quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. Of course, the ideal scenario would be to dominate opponents in performance while also securing results. However, if both cannot be achieved simultaneously, the realistic choice is clearly "results." Since this is no longer a preparation phase but actual competition, it is natural for the focus to shift from (adventure) and style toward stability and outcomes.

Coach Lee Min-seong of the South Korean national team began emphasizing results over performance right away. In a post-match press conference, he stated, "I believe that physical condition is the biggest variable when participating in the Asian Games. Since the tournament becomes knockout-style from the quarterfinals onward, we must now choose a stable approach. While you may desire both good performance and results, I think we need to play with clear intent to deliver results from this point forward."

The mood among the players is no different. Lee Ki-hyuk (Kangwon FC), who serves as captain and holds a wildcard status (aged 24 or older), told reporters after the match regarding his dissatisfaction with the first-half performance: "Honestly, I believe that at the Asian Games stage, it's acceptable as long as we can secure results rather than focusing on the process." He further added, "I have been telling other players not to rush. Although our performance may have been poor in the first half, scoring goals and securing victory in the second half was largely due to our consistent emphasis on staying calm throughout training."

Lee Min-seong's team will face Vietnam in the semifinals at the same venue at 7:30 p.m. on the 25th. The all-time head-to-head record between U23 national teams stands at six wins and four draws for South Korea, with no losses. However, in their most recent encounter—the third-place match of the AFC U23 Asian Cup in January this year—they drew 2-2 and lost in a penalty shootout, finishing fourth. Penalty shootout defeats are officially recorded as draws. For Lee Min-seong's squad, advancing to the semifinals of this Asian Games presents an opportunity to avenge their previous penalty shootout loss. Notably, Kim Sang-sik, who coached Vietnam's U23 team during that match, is not leading his team in this tournament.

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*This content was translated by AI.