In the quarterfinals of the AFC U23 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan, Hwang Sun-hong's South Korea U23s were unlucky to miss out on defending their title as they were defeated by Japan by a score of 0-3.
This was a tournament where Japan fielded their U21 national team in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Facing a relatively weak opponent, the South Korean U23 suffered a crushing defeat. In response, the South Korean media has launched accusations that the team lost to the opponent in terms of tactics, technology and physical fitness. Facing the young Japanese U23s, the South Korean team suffered a painful three-goal defeat, a result that was undoubtedly eye-opening. With the Hangzhou Asian Games just around the corner, Hwang Sun-hong is facing a mountain of problems.
This was the first international tournament for South Korea's U23 national team since Hwang Sun-hong took over. Before facing Japan, the Korean team had one more day of rest, but unfortunately, Lee Heung-min, the main center back, missed the game due to the diagnosis of a new crown, which might be a reason for the Korean team's loss. In the match, facing the fierce attack of the Japanese team, the Korean team could hardly organize an effective attack, and the shot ratio in the first half was as high as 2 to 8, the disadvantage on the field was obvious. In addition, the Korean team in the game management and strategy is also clearly behind the opponent. (Editor: Water and Earth)
