Korea's U-23 national soccer team started with a draw, but the mood was not pessimistic. Coach Lee Min-seong placed more significance on the process than the result after the first group-stage match against Iran.
Lee Min-seong's Korea drew 0-0 with Iran on the 7th (Korea time) in the 2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Asian Cup Group C opener at Al Shabab Club Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There were no goals, but the expressions on the bench after the match were relatively calm.
The numbers showed the flow was not easy. Korea was heavily outmatched in possession at 36%-64%, and Iran held the initiative for longer stretches. However, Korea actually led in shots, 8-6. It was noticeable that they clearly created chances, not just defended.
There were moments that could have changed the result. In the 19th minute of the first half Kim Tae-won rattled the net, but the goal was ruled offside after a video review and was disallowed. Then in the 28th minute of the first half, the attacking focal point Kang Sang-yoon had to be substituted due to injury. Sequences that disrupted the flow occurred one after another.
Still, Lee Min-seong gave a positive assessment of the performance itself. In an official interview he said, "It's disappointing not to have beaten a strong opponent like Iran, but the players worked hard," and noted, "I don't think the game went badly. The moments we wanted came out. It's just that it was the first match, they were nervous and failed to convert chances into goals. I'm not dissatisfied."
Defensive stability was the biggest gain from this match. Lee Min-seong emphasized, "The defense had been somewhat unpolished before the tournament, but today it felt organized, and I'm satisfied. I want to praise the defenders who finished with a clean sheet." It was a high appraisal of how they stopped Iran's relentless attack without conceding.
This tournament features 16 Asian teams divided into four groups competing against each other. The first- and second-place teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals, where the champion is decided in a knockout format. Korea will face Lebanon and Uzbekistan in the group stage in succession.
Lee Min-seong also made his plans for the remaining schedule clear. He said, "In the next match we want to operate with our game plan and win. From the second match we will more accurately identify the opponent's strengths and weaknesses and must win," expressing his determination. He added, "I believe we can advance from the group stage and definitely reach the knockout rounds."
Korea is challenging for its second U23 Asian Cup title overall and the first since the 2020 Thailand tournament, six years ago. In the last tournament in Qatar in 2024, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
[Photo] Provided by Korea Football Association (KFA).
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