Coach Lee Min-sung vows results-focused approach in knockout rounds; South Korea avoids Uzbekistan, Japan until final

South Korea head coach Lee Min-sung gives tactical instructions to his players during the men's football Group D second match against Saudi Arabia at Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. [Yonhap]
South Korea head coach Lee Min-sung gives tactical instructions to his players during the men's football Group D second match against Saudi Arabia at Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. [Yonhap]

South Korea Under-23 men's football head coach Lee Min-sung, whose side secured the top spot in their group with two consecutive wins, said Tuesday the team would shift its focus entirely to results-oriented football in the knockout rounds.

Lee's squad defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the Group D second match of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men's football tournament at Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday. Following their 4-1 win over Qatar, South Korea advanced to the quarterfinals as group leaders with six points.

At the post-match press conference, Lee made clear the team's approach heading into the single-elimination stage. "From the quarterfinals onward, it's a knockout tournament, so we have to play in a stable, controlled way," he said. "Fans may want exciting, attractive football, but from here on we will play with a clear sense of purpose — we must get results."

Finishing first in the group delivered a significant tactical advantage. South Korea avoided a quarterfinal clash with Uzbekistan, who had scored seven goals across two group-stage matches, and will instead face Group C runners-up Vietnam for a place in the semifinals. The favorable draw also means South Korea will not meet host nation Japan — considered a strong title contender with home advantage — until the final, if both sides advance.

On the match itself, which was scoreless at halftime before Shin Min-ha and Kim Myeong-jun scored in the 67th and 69th minutes respectively, Lee said the team's early movement had left something to be desired but that the half-space runs they had targeted began to open up as the game progressed. "I want to praise the players for maintaining their concentration until the very end and securing the win," he said.

Lee also expressed confidence in tall striker Lee Young-jun of Grasshopper, who joined the squad late from Switzerland on Monday due to club commitments and came on as a substitute in the 76th minute. "He was not in peak condition right after a long flight, but he did exactly what we wanted — holding up the ball and acting as a wall up front," Lee said. "When a physically strong striker can hold the line, it brings out the best in the second-line wingers, and it will also ease the physical burden on Kim Myeong-jun, who has played two matches in a row."

Regarding captain Lee Gi-hyeok, who signaled discomfort in the 27th minute, Lee shrugged off injury concerns. "He had a bruise on his shin but was determined to play the full 90 minutes," the coach said. "We checked on him after the match and he is in no serious trouble."


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