Hong keeps focus on World Cup after successful end to fraught campaign
June 7 (Reuters) - South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo sought to focus on his team's preparations for next year's World Cup rather than the fraught campaign that eventually ended with the country celebrating qualification for an 11th consecutive finals.
A 2-0 victory over Iraq in Basra on Thursday confirmed South Korea's progress as one of two automatic qualifiers from Group B of Asia's preliminaries, and came 11 months on from Hong's controversial reappointment as head coach.
"It's an opportunity for us to test young guys who may be able to play at the World Cup next year," Hong said of Tuesday's remaining qualifier against Kuwait in Seoul.
"We won't have too many opportunities like this. It's one thing for those guys to watch from the bench, and quite another for them to play."
Ex-national team captain Hong returned for a second spell in charge in July last year after a series of caretakers had been appointed following Juergen Klinsmann's underwhelming tenure, the German leaving in the aftermath of South Korea's Asian Cup elimination.
The 56-year-old's appointment was greeted by protests among hardcore fans, many mindful of the team's performance under Hong at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, when a highly-fancied squad crashed out in the group phase.
Relations with supporters were further damaged by early struggles in qualifying, with players booed off the field in Seoul following an opening 0-0 draw with Palestine in September.
That showing was one of several that highlighted the team's issues on native soil.
While Hong's side are unbeaten across the nine matches played so far in the third phase of qualifying, the Koreans have won just one of four matches at home.
The poor quality of the pitches used was blamed by players for their underwhelming performances and was another reason tensions increased between the country's football hierarchy and the support base.
Despite those issues, qualification means the Koreans will extend a run of unbroken World Cup appearances that stretches back to 1986, with Hong now charged with building his squad for the challenge that lies ahead in North America.
That will mean giving opportunities to less experienced performers as he looks for long-term options to stalwarts such as Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
"From this moment on, everything we do will be geared toward preparing for the World Cup," said Hong.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
29 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘I didn't like the attitude': Thomas Tuchel tears into lacklustre England
Thomas Tuchel admitted England had 'played with fire' in their 1-0 win over Andorra, risking the concession of an equaliser and a draw that would have registered as perhaps their greatest humiliation since defeat to the USA in 1950. 'I felt it was like a Cup game where the favourites don't see the danger,' he said. England won thanks to Harry Kane's 50th-minute goal, leaving them top of the group on nine points without having conceded a goal. No previous England manager has ever begun with three successive victories to nil, but Tuchel was clearly very unhappy with the performance. 'I didn't like the attitude how we ended the game,' he said. 'I liked the attitude how we started the game. But I didn't like the last half hour. I think we lacked urgency and seriousness you need in a World Cup qualifier. I didn't like the body language and it was not what the occasion needed.' What made it all the more frustrating was that there had been no indication of that flatness in the days leading up to the game during warm-weather training in Spain. 'They were enthusiastic and they showed that as a group when they were in the camp. When we started the game, the attitude was right. We wanted to play according to our principals and to the plan. 'Matches like this can become awkward when you don't score. It can be stuck. Then it's necessary to not get frustrated, to do the little things right. I had the feeling after 25 minutes we were a bit frustrated with the little things and everybody tried different things. Then it becomes freestyle and it gets slower. Everyone wanted the ball in to feet, and nobody was speeding the game up with runs. You need contra-movements and runs and if you don't invest it becomes a stuck game.' Tuchel acknowledged that fatigue at the end of the season might have been a factor, but was determined not to offer that as an excuse. 'The window is the window so no excuses. I think the clubs don't like the window and for the national team also it's not easy because the players are coming from a long season. We can and have to do better for the 90 minutes. We created an xG of 3 and underperformed with one goal. Normally in games like this you overperform the xG because of greater individual quality. But we didn't. We lacked the energy. It's the most honest thing to admit it and not talk around it.' On a night of very few positives, the brightest element was probably the performance of Noni Madueke, who set up Kane's goal and whose runs behind his full-back did stretch Andorra. 'He was a constant threat today and he got the assist as well,' said Kane. 'We need more of that – we've got amazing players and you need one v one quality in these games.' Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Tuchel had no problem with the boos at half-time and full-time, saying he understood why fans were unhappy. 'The support was amazing,' he said. 'They created a fantastic atmosphere for a match like this. They were underwhelmed and not happy with our performance. I don't think we can blame them for that.' He said he was unaware of the offensive chanting about Keir Starmer. 'If it happens,' he said, 'it is not acceptable, but I didn't hear it.' Fundamentally, though, this was a night of frustration. 'It's very hot here, dry pitch, probably similar conditions to next year at the World Cup,' said Kane. 'We probably weren't good enough on the ball – we kept giving it away, which gave them confidence and energy. It is what it is.'
Rhyl Journal
29 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Christian Eriksen nets winner as Northern Ireland suffer defeat in Denmark
An early own goal from former Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg put Michael O'Neill's side on top but Gustav Isaksen levelled in first-half stoppage time before Eriksen swept home the winner in the 67th minute. It was a second successive friendly defeat for Michael O'Neill's side, after March's 5-1 thrashing in Sweden, but was a much better defensive performance away to top-level opposition in their penultimate match before the World Cup qualifying campaign starts in Luxembourg in September. O'Neill made seven changes from that heavy loss in Stockholm, with Conor Bradley, Trai Hume and Daniel Ballard among those returning while Conor Hazard started in goal. The starting eleven had an average age of just 23.4. Denmark take the lead⚽ Christian Eriksen makes no mistake from close range! 🎯#BBCFootball — BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) June 7, 2025 The Parken Stadium produced its usual rowdy atmosphere before kick-off but was silenced six minutes in. Good Northern Ireland pressure in the corner forced Denmark's 18-year-old debutant Lucas Hogsberg into a poor ball out of defence and the bright Justin Devenny quickly intercepted. The Crystal Palace man, starting at left wing-back, cut into the box and his cross deflected off Joachim Andersen before Hojbjerg, under pressure from Shea Charles, turned the ball into his own net. Isaksen looked like Denmark's best outlet early on as the Lazio winger showed good trickery to break into the box more than once, but he was guilty of a dive while in a foot race with Northern Ireland skipper Hume, not fooling Cypriot referee Menelaos Antoniou. It's all over in Copenhagen. — Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) June 7, 2025 Denmark, who are in Scotland's World Cup qualifying group, unsurprisingly bossed possession but frustrations grew as Northern Ireland defended well, with Ballard heading away a succession of crosses. It took until the second minute of time added on for Denmark to register a shot on target but when they did, they scored. Isaksen, having moved into a central area, was found by Brentford's Mikkel Damsgaard on the edge of the box and curled a shot around Hume into the bottom corner of Hazard's net. It was Hazard's last involvement. The Plymouth goalkeeper, who had needed treatment after an earlier collision with Rasmus Hojlund, was replaced by Pierce Charles at the break. Pegged back, Northern Ireland struggled to get forward again. Bradley was having a quiet night and Dion Charles, surely low on confidence after a goalless start to life at Huddersfield, was unable to hold the ball up. Denmark were applying the pressure and Pierce Charles had to get down smartly to keep out Christian Norgaard's header. Then, from a corner, Ballard headed Andersen's header off the line before Hume made another goal-line block to deny Hogsberg. It was turning into a drab match but Denmark took the lead as they cut Northern Ireland open too easily. Isaksen's low cross was deflected by both Hume and Ballard before Eriksen, who ghosted away from Shea Charles, tucked in his 45th international goal. Mika Biereth was denied a third by an offside flag and Pierce Charles was kept busy, making an excellent double save from Mathias Kvistgaarden and Morten Hjulmand late on.
North Wales Chronicle
29 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Christian Eriksen nets winner as Northern Ireland suffer defeat in Denmark
An early own goal from former Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg put Michael O'Neill's side on top but Gustav Isaksen levelled in first-half stoppage time before Eriksen swept home the winner in the 67th minute. It was a second successive friendly defeat for Michael O'Neill's side, after March's 5-1 thrashing in Sweden, but was a much better defensive performance away to top-level opposition in their penultimate match before the World Cup qualifying campaign starts in Luxembourg in September. O'Neill made seven changes from that heavy loss in Stockholm, with Conor Bradley, Trai Hume and Daniel Ballard among those returning while Conor Hazard started in goal. The starting eleven had an average age of just 23.4. Denmark take the lead⚽ Christian Eriksen makes no mistake from close range! 🎯#BBCFootball — BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) June 7, 2025 The Parken Stadium produced its usual rowdy atmosphere before kick-off but was silenced six minutes in. Good Northern Ireland pressure in the corner forced Denmark's 18-year-old debutant Lucas Hogsberg into a poor ball out of defence and the bright Justin Devenny quickly intercepted. The Crystal Palace man, starting at left wing-back, cut into the box and his cross deflected off Joachim Andersen before Hojbjerg, under pressure from Shea Charles, turned the ball into his own net. Isaksen looked like Denmark's best outlet early on as the Lazio winger showed good trickery to break into the box more than once, but he was guilty of a dive while in a foot race with Northern Ireland skipper Hume, not fooling Cypriot referee Menelaos Antoniou. It's all over in Copenhagen. — Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) June 7, 2025 Denmark, who are in Scotland's World Cup qualifying group, unsurprisingly bossed possession but frustrations grew as Northern Ireland defended well, with Ballard heading away a succession of crosses. It took until the second minute of time added on for Denmark to register a shot on target but when they did, they scored. Isaksen, having moved into a central area, was found by Brentford's Mikkel Damsgaard on the edge of the box and curled a shot around Hume into the bottom corner of Hazard's net. It was Hazard's last involvement. The Plymouth goalkeeper, who had needed treatment after an earlier collision with Rasmus Hojlund, was replaced by Pierce Charles at the break. Pegged back, Northern Ireland struggled to get forward again. Bradley was having a quiet night and Dion Charles, surely low on confidence after a goalless start to life at Huddersfield, was unable to hold the ball up. Denmark were applying the pressure and Pierce Charles had to get down smartly to keep out Christian Norgaard's header. Then, from a corner, Ballard headed Andersen's header off the line before Hume made another goal-line block to deny Hogsberg. It was turning into a drab match but Denmark took the lead as they cut Northern Ireland open too easily. Isaksen's low cross was deflected by both Hume and Ballard before Eriksen, who ghosted away from Shea Charles, tucked in his 45th international goal. Mika Biereth was denied a third by an offside flag and Pierce Charles was kept busy, making an excellent double save from Mathias Kvistgaarden and Morten Hjulmand late on.
