Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu [Reuters/Yonhap]
Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu [Reuters/Yonhap]

A gamble on wholesale rotation and a misplaced sense of security — a draw would have been enough to advance — is turning into a painful afternoon for South Korea. Hong Myung-bo's side were outplayed by the group's weakest team throughout the first half, and South Africa have now struck in the second.

South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, trail 0-1 against South Africa in their final Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday (Korean Standard Time) at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico. They conceded in the second half having been level at 0-0 at the break.

The concession was the culmination of problems that had been flashing warning signs since the opening whistle — a failure to control the space behind the defensive line and a paralysis in midfield build-up play.

Hong made a bold double gamble before kickoff, benching both captain and talisman Son Heung-min (LAFC) and spiritual anchor Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) — neither of whom had scored in the two previous matches. It marks the first time Son has been named among the substitutes at a World Cup since his tournament debut at the 2014 Brazil edition.

Hong deployed Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas) — scorer of the winner against the Czech Republic — as the lone striker, flanked by Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) in a 3-4-3 formation. The shape ultimately left a wide gap between the defensive and attacking lines.

Korea made a bright start, with Kim Min-jae heading a Lee Kang-in corner kick on target and Lee Kang-in then firing left-footed from a Lee Tae-seok pass, but the initiative quickly slipped away. By halftime, South Korea were being outshot 4-9 overall and, particularly alarmingly, 0-3 on shots on target.

Korea somehow kept a clean sheet to the break, but without any tactical adjustment at halftime, a single direct South African counter-attack split the three-man backline and handed the opposition the lead.

South Africa entered the match ranked 60th by FIFA — 36 places below South Korea (24th) and the weakest side in the group. Yet Korea have a historically poor record against African nations at the World Cup, with one win, one draw and two losses. The lone victory came against Togo at the 2006 Germany tournament, and South Korea have not beaten an African side in the 20 years since — a streak that now threatens to extend.

Korea sit second in Group A with three points (one win, one loss) and need only a draw to secure second place and a berth in the round of 32 — most likely against Canada, the Group B runners-up. But trailing South Africa, they now face a far more complicated equation.


shee@heraldcorp.com