When he was pushed out of his ability, personal attacks came in.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by interim coach Kim Do-hoon, beat China 1-0 in the sixth Group C match of the second Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North-Central America World Cup held at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 11th.
The victory confirmed Korea’s No. 1 ranking in the group with 16 points (5 wins and 1 draw) through the second qualifying round with three coaches – Jurgen Klinsmann, Hwang Sun-hong, and Kim Do-hoon. In the third qualifying round, Korea ranked third in Asia, securing a top seed spot following Japan and Iran.
Since Klinsmann’s replacement, the Korean team has had one win and one draw (1-1 draw at home in the third game, 3-0 win in the fourth game) under coach Hwang Sun-hong and two wins (7-0 away in the fifth game, 1-0 win at home in the sixth game) under coach Kim Do-hoon. Fortunately, two interim coaches have performed their duties well, preventing further confusion.
Now, ahead of the third qualifying round, we must address the top priority of appointing an official coach properly. As Kim Do-hoon said, “I hope the interim coach will be the last one,” it is time to find a new head.
China was in a situation where it was decided to advance to the third qualifying round based on the results of the Thailand-Singapore match, which is underway with eight points (2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses). Thailand won 3-1, but China’s third World Cup qualifying round, which has the upper hand in the opponent’s record, has been confirmed because it is tied in goal difference.
In the face-off between Korea and China, Lee Kang-in’s first goal led to the final goal. In the 16th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min received the ball from the left side of the box and made a low and fast grounder cross in front of the goal. Lee Kang-in jumped in and accurately finished the ball that flowed out of the defense and scored the first goal. Lee Kang-in, who scored his 10th goal in the A match, ran to Son Heung-min and gave him a jump. The loud Chinese crowd fell into silence in unison.
In addition to the goal scene, Son was the only player who stirred up the Chinese defense. The MVP of the match selected by the Asian Football Confederation was also Son’s, not Lee Kang-in.
Son Heung-min, who was named MVP, said in a press conference after the game, “It wasn’t as easy as (Kim Do-hoon) coach said. However, the players were solid and finished the game without allowing any points. It was a positive game. There is no perfect game, but the players waited well and calmly created many good opportunities,” giving credit to his teammates.
“There were definitely some regrets,” Son said. “If I had taken advantage of the opportunity a little more, I could have won by a big margin. But a lot changes with the result in soccer. Thank you to the players who played almost perfect games. The staff also worked hard. I am grateful to be able to finish the two games without allowing a single goal. I played the last game of the season in Korea. It was so much fun. I was able to finish it with the support of many fans. I sincerely thank you.”
On the day, Son suffered abusive language and boos from Chinese fans. He remained calm. At the end of the first half, he looked at the Chinese fans and used his fingers to make a 3-0 win in November. He also kept a relaxed smile on his face.
“I didn’t do anything particularly to be booed. I couldn’t accept that kind of behavior at our home stadium. I felt that even our fans ignored me. I wanted to show something as a Korean player. I showed them what we played with gestures. If you look at today’s game, the most important thing is that we won with good games. That happens often when you play soccer. It’s important to deal with it without being discouraged. I think I didn’t get excited and calmly accepted the situation well,” Son said.
The Chinese fans, who are overwhelmed by their performance, seem to be very angry. “The Chinese national team lost to Lee Kang-in in an away game with only 30 percent of the possession,” China’s “Zubo Dotcom” reported on the result of the game, and local fans in China left various comments. 스포츠토토
Fans responded, “The 0-1 loss was a very fortunate score when you look at the results of the game,” and “How can’t China cross the half-line?” Among them, there was a primary criticism against Son Heung-min.
“Son Heung-min is a perfect example of a Korean,” one fan said. “He tries to be generous, polite, and mature, but he is mean to the bone. His national characteristics never change.” He cursed not only Son but also Koreans themselves. When he was pushed back from his skills, he collapsed and only cursed.
Meanwhile, Son said, “The most important thing is to decide which direction we want to go in the future. It was the same with my team. I think it would be easier for the national team to draw pictures in advance.”
“The most important thing is to think specifically about what kind of soccer we want to play and what kind of soccer we should play. There are many outstanding players. There are many players who can do well even with new clothes. As I have said, it is important to choose a safe route exactly even if it takes time.” reccos23@osen.co.kr
