Korea - Ghana Reaction.
Edited by Michael Welch. Words from the Taegeuk Tavern crew.
What a day today was. Matchday 2 in Group H truly had it all. We were introduced to two of the future faces of Korean football (hello Lee Kangin and Cho Guesung), we were done in by our Achilles heel (defense), and we ended the day with a sliver of hope to advance to the Round of 16 (thanks Portugal).
First, I guess I have to tell you what happened. Korea lost to Ghana 3-2 and now sit in third place in Group H, tied on 1 point with Uruguay (ahead on goal differential). In the other match, Uruguay threw everything at Portugal after going down 1-0, then lost 2-0 on a freak handball penalty.
With all that heartbreak of a loss in mind, what was truly incredible for me was getting together with our Taegeuk Warriors fan community and just “talking” on Twitter Spaces for almost 2 hours about the match. It was part therapy, a little bit of raging at the referees, and all fun. You’re welcome to have a listen at the link below :
Also, I know many of you have seen the match and lived the heartbreak, but I feel compelled to offer you this moment of joy. The moment when we finally tied the match. Oh, how sweet the joy was.
Now, for the player ratings and reaction from our Tavern Crew. I have to be fully honest, I didn’t feel like I had paid enough attention to the match to actually do player ratings. I admit that I paid a lot of attention to our Facebook groupchat or updating our Twitter account during the match.
This sentiment actually somewhat permeated into my assignment to the Taegeuk Tavern team. Because of such high emotions and heartbreak, we didn’t necessarily want to “rate” the players performances. In some cases, we just wanted to thank them for fighting so damn hard.
Here’s Allen Park’s words for the entire KNT squad :
Hwang Inbeom getting his head wrapped up in the middle of the game, then throwing it as it disturbed his vision and play. Son Heungmin, world class superstar, attempting a header with a fractured eye socket and mask. Kim Minjae limping, then proceeding to run full speed to chase down defenders. The result was not what fans wanted, but today, I want to give a 10 rating to every single one of our players and coaches.
My disappointment from today's game is far greater than any of our losses from 2018. However, I know the reason this is the case is that a 3-2 loss was the worst possible outcome today's performance could have resulted in. In 2018, a one goal loss to Sweden and Germany was the best a Korean team, one that could barely even get to the final third, could have achieved. Today, we lost by the same number of goals, but the energy and story of the match were different. With just a bit more luck, the same performance could have easily resulted in a win.
I am so grateful that our team represented Korea so remarkably today. It gives me more than enough happiness that I could watch Korea play attacking football in the world's biggest football stage. I believe today's match brought dignity to Korean football fans. I am proud to be a fan of the Korean National Football team.
As disappointed as I am about today's result, I know that the players in Qatar will be more disappointed than anyone else. I have faith that today's result is just part of the process in which Korean football grows stronger.
KNT players, thank you.
Korean translation- Please excuse my faulty Korean!
방금 묶은 붕대를 집어던진 황인범. 마스크를 낀 상태에서 헤딩을 시도하는 손흥민. 누가 봐도 부상인데 전력질주하는 김민재. 결과는 너무 아쉽지만, 오늘만큼은 모든 선수들과 코치들에게 10점을 주고 싶다.
오늘 내가 느끼는 아쉬움은 2018년도 월드컵 어느경기과는 비교도 안된다. 하지만 그 이유는 바로 한국이 잘했기 때문이다. 2018년도 스웨덴, 멕시코전과 똑같이 1점차로 졌지만, 경기내용는 상당히 달랐다. 2018년도 경기들을 보면, 현실적으로 1점차 패배가 최상에 결과였다는걸 알 수 있다. 하지만 오늘은 운이 조금만 따랐다면 무승부, 아니 승리도 가능했다.
선수들 눈빛에 엄청난 패기와 열정이 보였다. 내겐 대한민국 선수들이 어느때보다 멋있어 보였고, 조금 안쓰럽기도 했다. 월드컵이란 큰 무대에서 대한민국의 멋있는 공격축구를 볼 수 있다는 것 만으로도 충분히 행복하다. 오늘 나는 대한민국 축구팬이라는게 자랑스럽다.
내가 이렇게 아쉬운데, 경기를 뛴 선수들은 얼마나 힘들까. 비록 결과는 아쉽지만, 더 바랄게 없다. 대한민국 축구가 더 강해지는 과정이라고 믿겠다.
대한민국 선수들, 감사합니다. 대회 끝까지 희망을 놓치 않고 멋있는 모습을 보여주면 좋겠습니다.
Also, there were 4 Tavern analysts that offered player and manager ratings for this match, and each one has his own style, to say the least.
We’ll start with their words for Paulo Bento, then work through the entire squad :
Joonwon Park : 8/10 - Bento didn’t get as much out of the attack as he would have wanted, especially from Jeong Wooyeong (SC Freiburg) or Kwon Changhoon. I just wished he had played Lee Kangin from the beginning. However, he generally made the right substitutions and showed passion at the end with some final choice words for the referee, which did earn him a post-whistle Red Card.
Namu Yoon : 6/10 - It was great to see some energy outta the guy at the end. However, as one of our Tavern scribes said, we could really use him on the touchline versus Portugal, especially since he was once one of their stalwarts. Hopefully his assistants can help transmit some of those on-pitch messages over from our opponents up to Bento in the stands. We do wonder if he should have started Jo Hyeon-woo in goal for this match, especially if he did know that Ghana would put so many crosses in. But the fact he is getting the best out of Kangin these matches is something we all applaud Bento for.
Paul Jeung (PJ) : 7/10. 7: The starting lineup I don't think panned out the way he wanted it to. Jeong Wooyeong and Kwon Changhoon didn't have the
offensive impact we were all hoping for. I do give Bento his props for making adjustments in the 2nd half and taking the necessary risks
to make it a game. Also liked the passion he showed.
Kevin Kim : 6.5/10. Predictably conservative line-up from Bento. No surprises in the back five and changes with no net value in the end, with Kwon Changhoon and Jeong Wooyoung on the right and middle. Cho Guesung rewarded with his start and Lee Kangin showed his class. If generous, we can credit him introducing Kangin early in the second half, but frankly he should be starting every game.
The Goalkeeper : Kim Seunggyu
Joonwon : 5/10. Could have moved a little earlier on that first Ghana goal and was a split-second too late on the third. Conventional performance, otherwise.
Namu : 5/10. I liked him the least on goal #1. A brave physical keeper could have challenged for that free kick in the air. Instead, he hesitated and was left rooted to the line. That said, we're going to need him vs Portugal to help hold onto some possession.
PJ : 5/10. Could have used some magic on at least 1 of the 3 goals. He wasn't able to provide that, whether it was an aggressive, risky punch in the air on the first free kick
or possibly saving the 3rd goal with a super save. Unfortunately, did not come up clutch when he was most needed; pedestrian outing.
Kevin : 5/10. Diminutive, with no real presence in our most crucial moments. It would be cruel to pin any blame on him with any of the goals conceded, but with Jo Hyeonwoo on the bench, one can't help but rue watching Seunggyu getting beat on his line three times.
The Back Four :
Left Back : Kim Jinsu
Joonwon : 4.5/10. Redeemed himself by assisting the second KNT goal and then unredeemed himself with the third Ghana goal. He did make some crosses outside of the second goal but nothing fruitful. Minus half-point for getting dropped on that third Ghana goal.
Namu : 5/10. 50% to blame for goal #2, along with Younggwon. Turnovers galore 1st half. Did not set himself up with a touch before crosses, leading to poor balls. Nice assist. Poor shots when he had chances to redeem himself, but not the horror show some people are making it out to be.
PJ : 6/10. Man oh man. Probably will be the scapegoat for our loss, and I do think he is partially to blame here. He was probably the 1 player who impacted the game the most, as he was connected to all the key plays for the most part. Unfortunately, minus the one good cross assist he had to Cho, he had too many dreadful moments to me. He's also obviously not 100% fit either, so I'm cutting him some slack, but again just too many glaring mistakes and missed opportunities.
Kevin : 5/10. Involved, for better or for worse. His ratio of good to bad crosses felt frustratingly low, and ultimately was unreliable with an offensive end product, bar a fantastic cross for Guesung's equalizer. Stressful performance.
Left Centerback : Kim Younggwon
Joonwon : 5/10. Was one of the culprits for defensive lapses in the first two goals but at least he didn’t have a significant individual error like Kim Jinsu.
Namu : 6/10. As culpable as Jinsu was on goal #2, both of those guys should have challenged for the header, Younggwon just completely got outfoxed on the cross. I give him a 6 only because his long passing was excellent once again.
PJ : 5/10. I really didn't notice him much minus a few errant passes and decisions. He might have been caught in a couple bad spots defensively, but nothing glaring.
Kevin : 5.5/10. Suspect for Korea's first two goals conceded. He's competent, and had a memorable header in the second half to clear our lines to show for it, but in the end we conceded 3. Younggwon was tidy, but didn't impose himself in the game.
Right Centerback : Kim Minjae
Joonwon : 5.5/10. Gets an extra half-point from me for toughing out the calf injury for so long but ultimately couldn’t provide much.
Namu : 7/10. Only defender to come out with passing marks this match, but really poor marking on the winner, just completely left Williams open, who luckily whiffed. The superman sequence in the 58th minute was fun to watch though.
PJ : 6/10. Also, like Jinsu, probably not 100% fit as he did come off late. But he gave it what he could; probably should have defended the first goal better though.
Kevin : 6/10. Playing on an injury, Minjae put in a 90 minute shift as his usual charismatic self, unafraid to get involved offensively while alert to closing down defensively. Unlucky to see his header bobble in our box when we conceded our first, and not tight enough when we conceded our third.
Rightback : Kim Moonhwan
Joonwon : 5/10. Fullbacks have been the KNT’s weakness for some time now, and he didn’t get majorly exploited. It might be a low bar, but I think he had a passable performance.
Namu : 5/10. Gave up the ball poorly in the 1st half, leading to a big counter for our opponents, mirroring what happened versus Uruguay. Made a poor slow rotation onto the overlapping Ghana player that put the cross in for goal #3. Was thrown around like a rag doll in other physical challenges.
PJ : 5/10. Some really heavy touches, especially in the first half. Contributed okay to the offense late in the game, but defensively just not a reliable option.
Kevin : 5.5/10. Grew into the game, but still leaves a lot to be desired defensively. Physicality is suspect, and he’s just about competent enough to fulfill his role. Not inspiring, but not a sore spot. Left chasing on Korea's third goal conceded as the cross came from his side.
The Midfield :
Hwang Inbeom
Joonwon : 6.5/10. Great movement in the middle of the pitch and was mostly the silver lining in a detrimental first half. My only gripe was that he gave Jordan Ayew too much space to make the cross for Ghana’s second goal.
Namu : 8/10. Masterful with his passing once again, easily our best player in the 1st half; the turn in the 15th minute was sublime. That said, less involved in the 2nd half, and could've done better with closing down Ayew on goal #2.
PJ : 7/10. Trooper. Yeah he had some mistakes here and there, but he's such a key player of ours as he initiates the offense and gets things going so well.
I'll take that with the mistakes he makes here and there, especially since we don't have a guy to replace him in the #8 role.
Kevin : 7/10. Professional. Kept the ball, moved the ball, and was always involved in play. Conceded the foul leading to our first goal, but there are no qualms regarding his play. A staple in the middle.
Jung Wooyoung
Joonwon : 5.5/10. Played his role in the middle of the pitch but didn’t create anything special. Not much to bark about.
Namu : 6/10. Was steady until we conceded our first goal, then lost his head with a rugby tackle when he needed to be the most level-headed senior player out there. Still, overall, a nice steady passer of the ball in the middle.
PJ : 6/10. Didn't have any costly mistakes, thankfully (he's usually good for a few), and fouled or stopped the momentum as only he can. A typical day for our CDM.
Kevin : 6/10. Responsible. Some classic Jung Wooyoung play where he tries too much with a Hollywood ball to nowhere or an untimely knuckle ball effort, but his job is to shepherd the back and recycle possession. He did that decently just as he did versus Uruguay.
Kwon Changhoon
Joonwon : 5/10. I think he genuinely tried to get something going for the attack in the beginning of the game, but he was another chain in the link of out-of-form performances for the national team. Don’t really wanna see him in the next match.
Namu : 6/10. Was not bad when he had the ball, made one of our best chances in the 1st half with a nice pass down the flank, and then attacking the box off the ball for Jinsu to find him. That said, wasn't involved often enough, and fans probably want to see him beat at least a couple players with dribbles.
PJ : 5/10. A couple good short passes here and there, and had a nice long shot canceled out by an offside Son. But really didn't impact the game much at all.
Kevin : 4/10. Did little to impose himself on the game. A shadow of his true capabilities. Disappointing to see, but not surprising considering his play in the K League, with 0 goals scored all last season.
Jeong Wooyeong
Joonwon : 5/10. Mostly nonexistent.
Namu : 7/10. Energetic and omnipresent all across the pitch, both on offense and defense. Excellent linkup play in the 37th minute for one of our best chances in 1st half, though he also lost the ball 1-2 times. Should be praised overall though, and not blamed whatsoever for our 1st half performance.
PJ : 5/10. I was so hopeful for him and thought he was the guy to start against Ghana, but like Bento, I was also wrong. Really raw with the ball still, impacted the game
with his energy, but was expecting some good cut ins without the ball to create opportunities. It just never happened.
Kevin : 5/10. Buzzing but ineffective. He was active in the first half closing down quickly defensively, but didn't provide anything consequential as an attacking midfielder. Team clicked differently once he was swapped for Kangin.
Son Heungmin
Joonwon : 5.5/10. Took most of Korea’s corners and probably should have put a couple more directly into the box instead of playing them short. Overall, he didn’t pose much of a direct attacking threat, usually placing balls out wide any time he got in or around the box. I also would have liked to see him crack one or two more long-range shots.
Namu : 6/10. Hesitant and a bit too selfish. Took too many touches and too many attempts to dribble, instead of looking for the early cross or shot when they were on. What I liked the least was how he would just stand around instead of offering support or outlets to his teammates when they had the ball. All of this should come as little surprise to those who followed this team closely during World Cup Qualifying. Please don't blame the mask or a lack of match fitness. Has to be better versus Portugal when we get chances on the counter, which is his forte, and on free kicks.
PJ : 6/10. Son needs to really just let it fly some times. I felt like he, along with Jinsu, had the most chances on goal to take a shot but botched the majority of them.
He's still obviously an integral part of the team; I just wish he'd be more decisive when the chances arrive.
Kevin : 5/10. Anonymous. Sonny has always been susceptible to national team anonymity, and he arrives to Qatar cold on form. It's the perfect storm, considering the attention that comes with being a Premier League Golden Boot winner. Even then, you expect him to strike across goal first time with that critical chance in the second half.
The Striker
Cho Guesung
Joonwon : 8/10. Started off the match slowly, but he redeemed himself with two great finishes in the second half. I was doubtful about him at first, but I’m not sure Uijo would have capitalized on those chances. I’m really looking forward to seeing his development for years to come.
Namu : 8/10. Terrible 1st half, world class 2nd half. Many fans correctly pointed out he was physically outmatched 1st half and anonymous. Then he decided to eat some spinach or drink Red Bull or whatever, and gave a CF performance that should up his IG followers another 5-10x. That said, his pressing and mobility is a concern.
PJ : 8/10. Slow start but great finish. The thing that stands out about him is that for the two goals he scored, I know for a fact Uijo would not have been able to score. I feel like we have a superstar on the horizon. Also brought great energy, got stronger as the game progressed. My Man of the Match.
Kevin : 9/10. Air Guesung. Two massive headers to finally come to life after an anonymous first half. First Korean to get a brace in a World Cup match, and our most viable offensive outlet. Should start versus Portugal.
The Substitutes
Na Sangho (on for Jeong Wooyeong at halftime)
Joonwon : 5.5/10. Gave the KNT some quick bursts of energy in the second half but had little presence otherwise.
Namu : 7/10. Energetic play off the bench, and a possible starter for the counter-attacks needed vs Portugal, dependent on Heechan's fitness. Was a factor alongside Kangin in sparking belief back in the side, with a stubborn run with the ball to help recycle possession for the eventual 2nd goal.
PJ : 6/10. Not as threatening as he was against Uruguay, but showed good pace and energy.
Kevin : 7/10. Busy. Did his part moving the ball around and was heavily involved in Korea's turnaround. No end production to highlight, but he's been a pleasant surprise this tournament.
Lee Kangin (for Kwon Changhoon in the 57th minute)
Joonwon : 9/10. Provided an incredible jolt of energy for the attack in the second half, assisting the first goal and making multiple dangerous crosses towards the end of the match. Best substitute and my man of the match.
Namu : 9/10. I truly think Bento kept him out of the KNT for 20 months to build up his fuel, fire, defense, and stamina for the World Cup; I can't explain how else is it that he's played such a starring role after playing 0 KNT minutes since March 2021. We all knew he's the anointed one, and he's getting to show it to the world, again. Well played, Bento. That tackle before whipping the cross in for an assist a minute after coming on? That's fan fiction, bro.
PJ : 7.5/10. Immediately impacted the game with a tackle, which was immediately followed by an assist. He kept pouring quality balls into the box and even
threatened to score on free kick that was barely blocked out by the goalkeeper. There is no fear or hesitation with this 21 year old. He has to start for the KNT going forward, there is no question about that.
Kevin : 9/10. The difference. Korea's midfield rejuvenated once Kangin got on the pitch, and his distribution is what spearheaded a 20 minute spell of dominance for Korea. He moves the ball, can provide a final ball, and inspires quality from his teammates. He should be starting without question against Portugal, and should have been since the beginning of this tournament.
Hwang Uijo (for Jung Wooyoung at 79)
Joonwon : 4.5/10. Was subbed in late in the match to help get the KNT into full attack mode but was mostly nonexistent.
PJ : 5/10. Didn't realize he was in the game. That says it all.
Kevin : 2/10. Non-existent.
Kwon Kyungwon (for Kim Minjae in 2nd Half Stoppage Time)
Joonwon : 5/10. Mostly nonexistent.
PJ : 5/10. Came in late, didn't really have a chance to impact the game.
Kevin : 5/10. Nothing to note. Like-for-like change for Kim Minjae when unable to finish the game. His long-shot is what should have led to a last-play corner. Anthony Taylor is a fraud.
At the end of the day, it was a performance that all fans of the Korean national team, and neutral fans, could get behind. Yes, there were the usual defensive frailties. Yes, there was also a tendency to get wasteful in front of goal.
But, there was real exciting attacking quality ignited by two of the youngest players in the squad. Lee Kangin figures to be pulling the strings for Korea for a long time, at just 21 years of age; Cho Guesung already finished his military duty and this breakout tournament could seal a transfer to Europe.
There is just one matchday left in Group H and only one nation, Portugal, has advanced to the Round of 16. Even better? The teams currently placed 2-4, Ghana, Korea, and Uruguay, are all in the hunt for the knockout stages. Here are the official group standings :
So, going into Friday’s final group stage showdown with Portugal, we are in 3rd place and have to beat Portugal to advance (we also need some help in the other match, which you can understand more about here). We’ve done that before (during the 2002 World Cup in Korea). Let’s do it again.
What were your thoughts on the match? Did you have any Man of the Match candidates or personal ratings to share? Put them in the comments below!
Excellent piece. The only thing I worry about going forward is that the KFA never seems to learn its lesson. They focus so much on superstars and not enough on developing our weaker areas. It’s been 3 World Cup cycles where Son Heung Min is the entire focus of our team, and it is way too easy for other teams to shut him down. Lee Kang In looked awesome, and the future is bright for HIM, but not necessarily for him within the KNT if we don’t develop our ENTIRE team. I’m seriously worried that for the next 3 World Cup cycles, LKI will just be SHM 2.0 if the KFA doesn’t learn from our recent history. I cannot guarantee that we will go far with Lee Kang In. I can 100% guarantee that we won’t go far if we don’t fix our goalkeeper, overall defense, wingbacks, and lack of a killer #9 (maybe that will be Cho, but… remains to be seen. That doesn’t happen overnight). Maybe we should focus on developing other players besides attacking midfielders/wingers? It’s been the same story for the past 20 years. Sorry I’m being negative,… getting Kim Min-Jae as an excellent center back is a step in the right direction. Let’s get the rest of our team developed so that we have an all around solid and balanced team with talent all over the pitch