"South Korea is a world-class strong team," Coach Forlán's humility... "The prepared plan fit perfectly" in the 4-1 victory [Sangam]

*This content was translated by AI.

Diego Forlán, who led Uruguay to a decisive victory over South Korea, highly praised his opponent. He explained that their well-prepared offensive and defensive plans were precisely executed, which became the driving force behind the win.

Under coach Diego Forlán, Uruguay secured a 4-1 victory in the friendly match against the Hana Bank-invited South Korean national football team held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 28th.

This was a precious victory that ended their long winless streak. Uruguay, led by interim coach Diego Forlán—a former world-class striker—is a powerhouse from South America ranked 20th in the FIFA rankings.

However, recent form had not been favorable. Before facing South Korea, they had gone eight consecutive matches without a win, recording five draws and three losses. They also lost 1-3 to Japan in an evaluation match on the 24th.

Nevertheless, Uruguay succeeded in turning the tide upon meeting South Korea.

At the post-match press conference, Coach Forlán opened by saying, "A victory always brings great satisfaction," and added, "I expected today's match to be extremely difficult."

He also expressed high regard for their opponent, South Korea.

Coach Forlán stated, "The South Korean national team is a world-class squad that consistently qualifies for the World Cup. They showed excellent performance even in their previous match against Ecuador. I anticipated it would be a challenging game."

However, the prepared tactics hit the mark perfectly.

Coach Forlán remarked, "The game unfolded smoothly as we had planned. I am grateful to the players. Our plans for both offense and defense, along with our ability to control the match, worked out very well. We displayed excellent performance and feel highly satisfied."

This victory held special significance for Coach Forlán personally.

During his playing days, he represented Uruguay and formed a connection with South Korea through the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.

Coach Forlán said, "I participated in the 2002 World Cup here, scored goals, and have fond memories. Every time I visit South Korea, those good memories come to mind."

He continued, "In Asia, I also had wonderful experiences in Japan, Hong Kong, India, and other places. I believe Asian football is interesting and showcases excellent play. It is also satisfying for me to record my first victory as a coach here."

Before the match against South Korea, Uruguay had not won for an extended period, leading to a tense atmosphere.

However, Coach Forlán emphasized that their performance itself had not been poor during those matches.

He reflected, "The recent loss to Japan was extremely painful. In terms of gameplay, it was not a match we deserved to lose. I believe we should have at least drawn 1-1."

He further explained, "There had been a long period without victories even before I took charge. Although the national team played many matches, there were times when things did not go well. We were not unable to play; we created chances and played well but failed to convert them into goals, ultimately failing to secure a win."

This diagnosis pointed to a lack of ability to produce results.

Coach Forlán noted, "There were difficult processes. We faced challenges even in the North American World Cup qualifiers. What was lacking was the ability to seize decisive moments and convert them into results."

He added, "We showed strong performance against Japan as well, and this time we concluded with a victory, which is meaningful."

When asked whether they specifically targeted South Korea's weaknesses, he drew a line.

Coach Forlán stated, "Rather than exploiting South Korea's weaknesses, I consider them an extremely strong team. Even while analyzing their match against Ecuador, we confirmed their strength. We both anticipated that the game would be difficult."

He continued, "In the Japan match, we played very well but conceded two goals after 90 minutes and lost. However, we did not let that affect us and managed this match effectively."

Especially, he highlighted pressing and match control as key factors for victory.

Coach Forlán evaluated, "We pressed very effectively and had many moments where we controlled the game with possession. Although there were situations where we had to defend in our own half as South Korea advanced well, we showed strong performance against a formidable opponent from the early stages of the match."

He also expressed satisfaction that Uruguay's players executed their style of football well within a short timeframe.

Coach Forlán emphasized, "Even though it was a short period, the players performed excellently. I am extremely satisfied with this victory."

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*This content was translated by AI.