Even Son Heung-min and Hwang Sun-hong, the captain of Hitting the Great Head
The national soccer team, led by interim coach Hwang Sun-hong, will play the fourth leg of Group C of the Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-Central America World Cup against home team Thailand at 9:30 p.m. on the 26th (Korea Standard Time) at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
South Korea drew 1-1 with Thailand even though it played a one-sided match in the third game at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 21st. South Korea, which has two wins and one draw, is keeping its lead in the group, but it must win away to restore its pride. 토토사이트 순위
Kim Min-jae’s interview is a great motivation for the entire team. “As you can see, Asian teams’ power has been leveled upward. It doesn’t matter who plays where. One more step determines the quality of a team. We have to put our heads up and run as well,” Kim said when he was eliminated from the Asian Cup semifinal after losing 0-2 to Jordan in the semifinals. Instead of bragging about players’ high value of their name, the team that runs one more step wins.
Captain Son agreed. “(Kim) Min-jae also mentioned it, but we have to hit the head and run,” Son said ahead of the first match against Thailand. In fact, Son was busy moving from the left wing when Joo was at the front line and then to the front line after Joo left. In the second half, Son scored the finisher, but unfortunately, the goal was not recognized as offside.
Coach Hwang Sun-hong also agreed. “Not only players but also my coaching staff and I should play with that mindset. It’s a difficult situation, but we need that mindset to overcome it,” Hwang stressed.
In the first match against Thailand, Korea had a one-sided match, but the result was 1-1. As such, the ball is round, and anything can happen in soccer. Rather, in terms of teamwork, Korea liked Thailand more for its long-term coordination. Korea’s defense was shaken up when it allowed counterattacks in Thailand, and Korea ended up conceding an equalizer.
“We have a lot of difficulties in counterattack defense. We need to supplement it. It is difficult to supplement it quickly, but we need to neutralize the opponent’s strengths,” Hwang said. Players’ mental posture is as important as tactics. Star consciousness is of no help at all. A player who plays one step further on the field is an excellent player.
“It is important that we play with one heart and soul clearly. I think we did that (in the first leg). If the result of the second leg is not good, our efforts could be tarnished. We need to prepare for the second leg with more will. The players are the same,” Hwang said.