“The players played as one,” said Hwang Sun-hong, 56, who took over as interim coach against Thailand, “and we trusted each other during the preparation process.”

Hwang’s men’s national soccer team drew 1-1 with Thailand in the third match of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asia Second Qualifying Round at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Nov. 21. “I’m sorry that we didn’t win the match, as many fans showed their support in the cold weather,” Hwang said at the post-match press conference. “I think the players did their best until the end. We are disappointed, but we will overcome it and finish well away from home.” South Korea will play the fourth game of the tournament on Nov. 26 at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

South Korea, ranked 22nd in the FIFA World Rankings, opened the scoring in the 42nd minute through Son Heung-min before conceding a late equalizer from Supana Mueanta in the 16th minute to settle for a disappointing draw against 101st-ranked Thailand.

“I was disappointed with our overall lack of stability,” said Hwang, “We were in a rush and the balance was tipped. It is urgent that we find stability and play a normal game, and we will make up for this against Thailand.” “After conceding the equalizer, we were forced to play at their pace,” he added.

Despite the unsatisfactory result, the atmosphere after the game was cordial, with Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in hugging and encouraging each other. “It’s true that we ran out of time during the preparation process, but I have 100% trust in the players’ 스포츠토토 communication and preparation mindset,” said Hwang, adding, “We will overcome the disappointing result and prepare for the next match.”

Hwang also spoke about Inhabi-Gyu, who made his A-match debut on the day, saying, “He did his job well. The early substitution was calculated, but we conceded a goal, so it was a bit of a mixed bag.”

As for the substitution of Lee Kang-in, he said, “We put in a player with good skills to take the initiative,” adding, “I think we can’t afford to have private feelings when preparing for a match. We put players on to win the game, and we’ll closely analyze their physical condition for the next game and come up with the best lineup.”

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