Seoul: South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo said Monday his team’s upcoming friendly match against Paraguay will be a must-win contest for his side on several levels, as they try to shake off a crushing loss to Brazil last week. Hong’s South Korea will host Paraguay at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Seoul World Cup Stadium in the capital city. This will be the second of two friendlies for South Korea this month, coming on the heels of a 5-0 loss to Brazil in Seoul last Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea barely put up a fight in that lopsided defeat, registering only one shot on target while having difficulty containing skilled attackers in their own zone. “This is an important match for us for many reasons, and I think we have to win tomorrow,” Hong said at a prematch press conference at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul. “I believe this will be a good opportunity for us to see how we can bounce back if we don’t play well in the first or second match at the World Cup.”
Hong also said he was aware of the match’s implications for the upcoming World Cup draw. At No. 23 in the FIFA rankings, South Korea would end up in Pot 2 if the draw were held now. But another loss this month may see South Korea drop from the current ranking position and also fall into Pot 3, in which case they would get drawn into the same group with potentially two top-20 nations.
Hong said he will make some lineup changes, noting that some players logged heavy minutes Friday, but his tactical framework won’t change. Hong has been experimenting with a back-three formation, featuring three center backs flanked by wingbacks on either side. The coach said while losing the way South Korea did to Brazil was certainly disappointing, he also felt it may end up being a necessary part of the team’s preparation for the World Cup.
“I know that the loss exposed a lot of our weaknesses. Brazil are on a different level and they pounced on our mistakes,” he said. “I understand the concern regarding those mistakes, but if we don’t identify them now and if we only discover them at the World Cup, then that would present an even bigger problem. We are playing these friendlies precisely for that reason.”
Paraguay are No. 37 in the FIFA rankings but they have beaten Brazil and Argentina, two of the very best in men’s football, once each during their regional World Cup qualifiers. “Their four defensive backs and two defensive midfielders have such tight chemistry, and their attackers can create chances with their superb skills,” Hong said. “I think they will be a very tough team to play and we have to pay attention to small details. Against Brazil, we were too slow in our transition game and ended up losing the ball in our own zone.”
Hong, who was not a popular choice when first named last summer, was booed when he was introduced before the Brazil match. When asked about the fans’ reaction, Hong said, “There’s nothing I can do about it. My job is to do the best I can from my position.”