Al Rayyan:South Korea's captain Son Heung-min expressed his disappointment following the team's 3-2 defeat to Saudi Arabia in a friendly match held at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Qatar. Despite dominating the game with 15 shots, including six on target, the world No. 32 ranked team suffered its first loss to Saudi Arabia since 2005.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Son acknowledged the team's effort, stating, "It is quite disappointing that our effort did not lead to the desired outcome." He emphasized the importance of learning from friendly matches and preparing for the upcoming game against Qatar in Doha.
This match marked a significant moment for the team, as it was their first since resolving internal tensions involving key players Hwang In-beom, Hwang Hee-chan, and Kim Min-jae, who had previously considered retiring due to frustrations with Son's leadership. Son noted improvements in team communication and determination, despite the loss.
Son also reflected on a missed scoring opportunity in the 66th minute, where he failed to capitalize on a weak pass by Saudi Arabia's goalkeeper, Mohammed Al-Owais. "When I do get opportunities, I have to capitalize on them. I didn't do a good job of that today," Son admitted, expressing his apologies to his teammates.
South Korea's goals were scored by Oh Hyeon-gyu and Lee Jae-sung through impressive passing plays. Son highlighted the importance of building on these successful plays, aiming for better precision in future matches.