Head coach Hong Myung-bo of the Korea men's national soccer team said on the 19th (Korea time), "The conceded goal is disappointing, but all our players did their best."
Hong said this after a 1-0 loss in the Group A second match against Mexico at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, earlier that day.
Korea created several scoring chances against Mexico but failed to finish, and lost after conceding in the 50th minute on a defensive mistake.
On a high cross from the opponent, goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu came out to catch it, but as he tangled with Lee Ki-hyeok while landing, Mexico turned the loose ball into a goal.
Hong said, "The result is very disappointing, but overall our players did well in preparing," and assessed, "We prepared well for Mexico's characteristics."
On the mistake, he said, "I don't know exactly what happened with the call in that moment," adding, "It seems the error came as they pushed each other."
Regarding being pushed back early in the first half, he said, "We expected them to press very hard from the start," and, "Even if we lost the ball, where we lost it mattered."
He added, "We judged that if we lost the ball in a key area to them and faced a short counterattack, it would be dangerous," and, "At least until the 20th minute of the first half we said we must not concede, and the players kept that well."
Hong said, "After that, the rhythm shifted to our side," and evaluated, "We took the initiative in the play itself and played the game."
Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu expressed regret about the conceding sequence. Meeting reporters in the mixed zone right after the match, he said, "I should have been more focused in the conceding situation, but I wasn't, and that changed the result like this."
He said with regret, "The ball was in the air, and I judged only our teammates were around, so I came out to catch it safely, and that led to this result."
He said, "You have to make quick judgments on call play depending on the situation. My call may not have been heard clearly, and various factors combined in that moment."
On the situation afterward, he explained, "We had to keep playing, so we said let's forget it quickly, and we told each other that if we held firm at the back, the forwards would come up with one."
He added, "Among the players, we also said let's not let the mood drop," and, "There's still one match left, and I think we're in a slightly more favorable position."
Defender Kim Min-jae also said, "In the conceding moment, the signal was just a bit off; mistakes can happen anytime," and, "I hope we don't make too much of it and focus a bit more on the next match."
He said, "As with the Czech match, the players did well today," and, "Parts that didn't quite fit just before the World Cup have noticeably improved as we've entered the finals."
He continued, "We're showing much better performance than before," and, "The match against South Africa won't be easy, of course, but we must win."
Forward Cho Gyu-sung, who created scoring chances, also expressed regret. He said, "I had two chances, and I absolutely should have put away the first one, but I didn't, so it's a pity."
He said, "I was instructed to battle a lot inside the box and apply strong one-on-one pressure when defending," and reiterated his regret, "The coach put me on and I got a good chance, and I should have scored."
He said, "Among the players, we said we absolutely have to win the third match," and added, "We must win." The match against South Africa will be held at 10 a.m. on the 25th at Monterrey Stadium.
Regarding the upcoming match against South Africa, Hong said, "Their key player won't be available, but that's not what matters," adding, "That kind of thing can actually improve their mindset."
He said, "I watched two of their matches, and South Africa has good speed," and, "We need to prepare well for those aspects."