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Korea Herald
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Korea Herald
S. Korea coach tells players to relish rival match vs. Japan at E. Asian football tournament
On the eve of a high-stakes rival match against Japan at the ongoing regional football tournament, South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo said Monday his players should try to enjoy the experience. South Korea, world No. 23, and Japan, ranked 17th, will square off in the final match of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship at 7:24 p.m. Tuesday at Yongin Mireu Stadium in Yongin, some 40 kilometers south of Seoul. Both teams won their first two matches of the tournament to collect six points, and Japan have the edge in goal difference, +7 to +5. Japan only need a draw against South Korea to win their second consecutive EAFF title. It is a must-win match for South Korea, who are chasing their sixth EAFF crown. South Korea have had 42 wins, 23 draws and 16 losses against Japan, but have lost each of the past two meetings by the same score of 3-0. Given the stakes and the history of the sporting rivalry between the two countries, the intensity level will likely be several notches higher than what South Korea experienced against China and Hong Kong. "Obviously, it's a crucial match and we want to win it," Hong told reporters before a training session at Seongnam Stadium in Seongnam, just south of Seoul. "I am confident our players will play a good match." Hong, no stranger to the heated rivalry from his playing days, also said his players shouldn't be stressing too much over the match. "In the past, the prevailing approach (to matches against Japan) was that we could not afford to lose. I was no different," he said, "But at some point, I realize just beating Japan isn't everything. Of course, our players must compete with a sense of pride in representing the country, but I also hope that they won't lose sight of important tactics or other aspects of the game. I hope they will enjoy the experience." Hong observed that the two teams play under similar sets of tactics. "They said Japan may be more detail oriented, but I believe we will have a chance to execute our plans and have a chance to score," the coach said. "We will have to be sharp on our defense and be prepared to make adjustments in the second half." With stars based in Europe and the Middle East not available here, Hong has put together a team of 23 players in the domestic K League 1 and three players in Japan's J1 League. They've been trying to make their case for inclusion on the squad for next year's FIFA World Cup. Hong said he has enjoyed working with the current group of players. "Having trained with these players for about 10 days has taught me a great deal," he said. "It may be premature to talk about what will happen a year from now, but a few players here have been incredible at this tournament. I don't know where they're going to be a year from now but I was able to see their potential to represent the country at the World Cup. I've had a great time with them." Jo Hyeon-woo, captain and first-choice goalkeeper for South Korea, said the players believe in themselves just as much as the coach believes in them. "We are confident that we can win the match if we can execute the way the coach wants us to," Jo said. "I will try to keep Japan off the board and help us finish this tournament on a winning note." Jo said the coach won't have to worry about his players feeling added pressure just because they will play Japan. "The mood in the team hasn't changed. If anything, we've grown more confident as the tournament has gone on," Jo said. "We've adjusted well to some tactical changes and I know we will take the field feeling pretty good tomorrow."
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Korea Herald
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Korea Herald
[Graphic News] S. Korea secures 11th consecutive World Cup berth
South Korea has reached a remarkable milestone by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the 11th consecutive time. Led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, the national team clinched a 2-0 victory over Iraq in Basra during the ninth match of Group B in the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held in North and Central America (CONCACAF region). With five wins and four draws, South Korea finished at the top of its group with 19 points, securing direct qualification for the tournament. This marks the nation's 11th straight World Cup appearance, continuing a streak that began with the 1986 tournament in Mexico. The achievement makes South Korea the first Asian country to qualify for 11 consecutive World Cups and only the sixth nation in the world to do so, joining the ranks of soccer giants such as Brazil, Germany and Argentina.
Daily Tribune
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
South Korea turn focus to 2026 after sealing World Cup spot
AFP | Seoul Coach Hong Myung-bo immediately turned his thoughts to next year's World Cup in North America after South Korea secured qualification following a turbulent campaign. Hong's side belatedly saw off 10-man Iraq 2-0 in front of a noisy Basra crowd on Thursday to seal an 11th straight World Cup appearance. Substitutes Oh Hyeon-gyu and Kim Jin-kyu scored in the second half to send South Korea through with a game to spare. 'Now that today's match is over and our qualification is confirmed, we will focus everything on the World Cup from this point forward,' Hong told reporters. 'There are many things to consider but I believe we need to prepare step by step, steadily, for the World Cup finals.'
The Sun
07-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Hong keeps focus on World Cup after successful end to fraught campaign
SOUTH KOREA coach Hong Myung-bo sought to focus on his team's preparations for next year's World Cup rather than the fraught campaign that eventually ended with the country celebrating qualification for an 11th consecutive finals. A 2-0 victory over Iraq in Basra on Thursday confirmed South Korea's progress as one of two automatic qualifiers from Group B of Asia's preliminaries, and came 11 months on from Hong's controversial reappointment as head coach. 'It's an opportunity for us to test young guys who may be able to play at the World Cup next year,' Hong said of Tuesday's remaining qualifier against Kuwait in Seoul. 'We won't have too many opportunities like this. It's one thing for those guys to watch from the bench, and quite another for them to play.' Ex-national team captain Hong returned for a second spell in charge in July last year after a series of caretakers had been appointed following Juergen Klinsmann's underwhelming tenure, the German leaving in the aftermath of South Korea's Asian Cup elimination. The 56-year-old's appointment was greeted by protests among hardcore fans, many mindful of the team's performance under Hong at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, when a highly-fancied squad crashed out in the group phase. Relations with supporters were further damaged by early struggles in qualifying, with players booed off the field in Seoul following an opening 0-0 draw with Palestine in September. That showing was one of several that highlighted the team's issues on native soil. While Hong's side are unbeaten across the nine matches played so far in the third phase of qualifying, the Koreans have won just one of four matches at home. The poor quality of the pitches used was blamed by players for their underwhelming performances and was another reason tensions increased between the country's football hierarchy and the support base. Despite those issues, qualification means the Koreans will extend a run of unbroken World Cup appearances that stretches back to 1986, with Hong now charged with building his squad for the challenge that lies ahead in North America. That will mean giving opportunities to less experienced performers as he looks for long-term options to stalwarts such as Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers. 'From this moment on, everything we do will be geared toward preparing for the World Cup,' said Hong. (Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Tom Hogue)
Straits Times
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Hong keeps focus on World Cup after successful end to fraught campaign
Hong keeps focus on World Cup after successful end to fraught campaign South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo sought to focus on his team's preparations for next year's World Cup rather than the fraught campaign that eventually ended with the country celebrating qualification for an 11th consecutive finals. A 2-0 victory over Iraq in Basra on Thursday confirmed South Korea's progress as one of two automatic qualifiers from Group B of Asia's preliminaries, and came 11 months on from Hong's controversial reappointment as head coach. "It's an opportunity for us to test young guys who may be able to play at the World Cup next year," Hong said of Tuesday's remaining qualifier against Kuwait in Seoul. "We won't have too many opportunities like this. It's one thing for those guys to watch from the bench, and quite another for them to play." Ex-national team captain Hong returned for a second spell in charge in July last year after a series of caretakers had been appointed following Juergen Klinsmann's underwhelming tenure, the German leaving in the aftermath of South Korea's Asian Cup elimination. The 56-year-old's appointment was greeted by protests among hardcore fans, many mindful of the team's performance under Hong at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, when a highly-fancied squad crashed out in the group phase. Relations with supporters were further damaged by early struggles in qualifying, with players booed off the field in Seoul following an opening 0-0 draw with Palestine in September. That showing was one of several that highlighted the team's issues on native soil. While Hong's side are unbeaten across the nine matches played so far in the third phase of qualifying, the Koreans have won just one of four matches at home. The poor quality of the pitches used was blamed by players for their underwhelming performances and was another reason tensions increased between the country's football hierarchy and the support base. Despite those issues, qualification means the Koreans will extend a run of unbroken World Cup appearances that stretches back to 1986, with Hong now charged with building his squad for the challenge that lies ahead in North America. That will mean giving opportunities to less experienced performers as he looks for long-term options to stalwarts such as Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers. "From this moment on, everything we do will be geared toward preparing for the World Cup," said Hong. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
