"We scored four and won, so why does it feel like this?" U-23 coach Lee Min-sung publicly scolds players in post-match interview

According to The Financial News, South Korea poured in four goals and secured three points. The scoreboard clearly showed a 4–2 win. Yet when the final whistle blew, there was little sign of a relaxed winning coach on Lee Min-sung’s face.
The joy of victory was brief. Throughout the interview, Lee spoke more about "reflection" and "attitude" than about "winning." In particular, he strongly rebuked his players for their slack mentality late in the game, declaring, "Our attitude toward the game at the end was wrong."
It was a chilling warning from the man in charge, aimed more at preventing a disaster against Uzbekistan than celebrating a single group-stage win.
The South Korea national under-23 football team led by Lee Min-sung defeated Lebanon 4–2 in their second Group C match of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup group stage, held on the 10th (Korea time) at Al-Shabab Club Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was a high-scoring performance that washed away the frustration of the goalless draw (0–0) against Iran in their opener.
Even so, Lee Min-sung could not simply smile. The collapse in defensive concentration was painful. South Korea wobbled, conceding two goals to Lebanon, a side widely regarded as one of the weaker teams in the group.
In his official post-match interview, Lee began by saying, "I want to congratulate the players on the victory," but his tone quickly turned serious. "If we are to become a better, more developed team, we must feel the pain of conceding those two goals today," he pointed out. His message was that these were not just isolated goals, but signs of a serious crack in the team’s defensive organization.
The bigger issue, he stressed, was mentality. Once the win seemed secure, some players lost focus and became careless, and that attitude came under heavy scrutiny. Lee did not hold back his criticism.
"The attitude we showed toward the game at the end was wrong. We must correct this and prepare properly for the match against Uzbekistan."

His remarks carried an underlying sense of crisis: if they play complacently just because they are leading, they could face a disastrous result against Uzbekistan, the strongest team in the group stage.
Captain Lee Hyun-yong of Suwon Football Club (Suwon FC), who wore the armband and marshalled the back line on the day, also understood his coach’s anger. "It’s a relief that we won, and scoring four goals is a positive," he said, but then bowed his head, adding, "We need to think again about the fact that we conceded two goals." His comments showed that the players themselves are sensing the danger posed by their shaky defense.
There were, of course, positives to take away. After struggling to build attacks in the first half, South Korea began to exploit crosses from the flanks more aggressively in the second half and finally found a way through. Lee said, "If the players refine this pattern, we will continue to get good results," giving a passing grade to the shift in attacking tactics.
Still, the defensive frailty and mental lapses hidden behind the four-goal attacking display remain unresolved issues. Lee Min-sung said, "Our goal is not necessarily to finish first in the group right away, but to make sure we advance from the group stage," vowing, "We will show a better performance in the final group match."
All eyes are now on whether Lee Min-sung’s side, scolded despite winning, can show a tougher mentality in the upcoming clash with Uzbekistan, as fans watch with a mix of concern and expectation.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter