The South Korea U23 coach points out his team's problems before facing Vietnam U23.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - South Korea U23 coach Lee Min Sung admitted to several problems within his team after their defeat against Japan U23 in the semi-finals of the Asian U23 Championship.

In the semi-finals of the AFC U23 Asian Cup, South Korea lost 0-1 to Japan. This result dashed Lee Min Sung's hopes of winning the tournament. In the third-place match, the South Korean team will face Vietnam.

South Korea U23 lost to Japan U23 (Photo: AFC).

Speaking after the match, coach Lee Min Sung addressed the issues surrounding the South Korean U23 team's defeat against Japan U23. He stated: "In the first half, our players were quite tense and psychologically affected, which led to many difficulties."

However, in the second half, the whole team fought very well but couldn't score, which I find regrettable. This tournament has come to an end, and I hope the players will mature through the experience gained along the way.”

Regarding the fact that they pressed their opponents, the Japanese U23 team, in the second half but couldn't score, Coach Lee Min Sung analyzed: "It wasn't because the opposing goalkeeper played exceptionally well, but because we didn't do well enough. We should have put more pressure on them and played with a more proactive spirit from the first half."

In the second half, we adjusted in that direction, but in football, the most important thing is still scoring goals. I think we need to improve our finishing ability.”

Coach Lee Min Sung admitted that the South Korean U23 team did not perform well against the Japanese U23 team (photo: AFC).

Assessing the difference between the two halves, the South Korean U23 coach added: “In the first half, we mainly deployed a low defensive formation. In the second half, changing our approach and actively pressing high up the field was key.”

However, failing to score and conceding goals are issues that need to be addressed. I think the whole team needs to focus more on balancing their play.”

The third-place match between Vietnam U23 and South Korea U23 will take place at 10 PM on January 23rd. In the past, Vietnam U23 has been at a disadvantage compared to their opponent, with one draw and four losses in their last five matches.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-u23-han-quoc-chi-ra-van-de-cua-doi-nha-truc-khi-gap-u23-viet-nam-20260121165345423.htm