Hong Myung-bo, coach of the national soccer team, expressed satisfaction after the two consecutive games in September.
Coach Hong Myung-bo faced reporters at Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 12th and said, “The best scenario was to win both games, but we didn’t produce a result in the first game. However, I think the second game is not so bad from the standpoint of starting now because we have a result. But overall, I think it’s a good game where I could have a good idea about how to prepare well.”
Coach Hong Myung-bo made his debut against the underdog Palestinians at his home turf on Saturday, and found the game bitter. The team tied the match without a goal after poor performance. Also, his performance was not very good in the match against Oman on Saturday. He won the match in the end.
Coach Hong Myung-bo, who looked back at the two games, said, “The biggest income is that the second game was a little better than the first game. Of course, we liked the second half better than the first half of the Palestinian match, and the second game better than the first. I think that was a game where we could have more positive thoughts for the players and the team in the remaining games.”
However, the team still faces criticism from a tactical perspective. Despite its overwhelming capability, the team failed to completely subdue the weak two teams. Notably, critics say that Hong’s tactics were not clear. At the same time, most players say that they depend on the individual skills of players such as Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain).
However, Coach Hong Myung-bo said, “This is a completely different idea from mine. We made tactical changes at a watershed moment during the game, and I think the strategy was right. So it’s hard for me to agree on that. I don’t have any thoughts that I want to change. Tactically, I think our players did a perfectly good job with 30 minutes left in the second half.” 안전놀이터
There is not much time left until the next A-match. Team Hong Myung-bo will play an away match against Jordan on October 10 in the third round of the Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North Korea and the U.S. The team will play Iraq on its home turf on October 15. Both teams are at odds to guarantee victory.
Coach Hong Myung-bo said, “When we play, there is no time for us to do everything perfectly for 90 minutes. Obviously, we also have difficult times, but for example, if we lose a point or a set piece, a difficult situation comes. I think we need to develop those areas further.”