After dismal display and heavy defeat, Lee Min-sung’s side reach quarterfinals with help from elsewhere... Candid admission of “tactical failure”

[Financial News] The performance was poor and the result was brutal. South Korea’s under-23 national football team led by head coach Lee Min-sung bowed their heads after being thoroughly outplayed in their final group-stage match. What ultimately rescued them from the brink of elimination was not Korea’s own display, but a shock result produced by Lebanon, previously regarded as the weakest side in the group.
Lee Min-sung’s side lost 2–0 to Uzbekistan in the third and final Group C match of the group stage at the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup, held at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the 13th (local time).
As a result, South Korea finished the group with one win, one draw and one loss (4 points). Their prospects of progressing by their own efforts were uncertain, but thanks to Lebanon pulling off a shock 1–0 victory over Iran in the match played at the same time, Korea narrowly clinched a quarterfinal berth as group runners-up. Had Iran beaten Lebanon, it would have been Iran, not Korea, advancing to the last eight.

On the day, South Korea lined up in a 4-4-2 formation. Jeong Jae-sang (Daegu FC) and Tae-won Kim (Kataller Toyama) started up front, with Kim Do-hyun (Gangwon FC) and Kang Seong-jin (Suwon) operating on the wings. The midfield pivot was manned by Kim Dong-jin (Pohang Steelers) and Kim Han-seo (Yongin FC). Korea enjoyed 69% possession in the first half. On the surface, it looked as though they were dictating the game, but there was no substance behind it.
Korea struggled badly against Uzbekistan’s deep, compact defending and found it difficult to penetrate the penalty area. While their U-shaped build-up play was repeated around the outside, Uzbekistan sat back, biding their time and preparing sharp counterattacks. The feared scenario materialized right after the restart.
In the 48th minute, substitute Jang Seok-hwan (Suwon) attempted to win back the ball, but the loose ball fell kindly to Uzbekistan’s Behruzjon Karimov, who made no mistake. His powerful right-footed strike from distance arrowed into the corner of the Korean net. Goalkeeper Hong Seong-min had no chance of getting a hand to it.

With the situation growing urgent, Lee tried to turn the tide by sending on Jung Seung-bae (Suwon FC), Lee Chan-wook (Gimcheon) and Kim Yong-hak (Pohang Steelers) in quick succession. However, the attacking substitutions instead disrupted the team’s defensive balance. In the 70th minute, they conceded again, allowing a left-footed first-time finish from Uzbekistan’s Saidumarqon Saidnurollaev. It was the moment when both defensive concentration and organization collapsed simultaneously.
The statistics laid bare the extent of the dismal performance. Korea recorded a high 66.7% share of possession, but trailed 7–8 in total shots and managed just a single shot on target. While conceding from two of the four shots on target they faced highlighted issues with defensive focus, the more painful problem was their blunt attack, which failed to threaten the opposition in dangerous areas at all.
After the match, Lee Min-sung entered the press conference room with a stern expression. “We were completely outplayed by Uzbekistan. We were not able to execute the style of play we had prepared at all,” he admitted. He went on, “I made mistakes tactically. There was also confusion in the player selection process,” adding a cold self-assessment: “At the moment, there is nothing about our team that I can point to as a strength.”
In the end, the team did achieve their first objective of reaching the quarterfinals, but the scars left by the process run deep. To shake off the label of “fortunate runners-up,” a transformation bordering on a complete overhaul will be required. Lee also stressed, “Rather than focusing on analyzing our opponents, the urgent priority is to identify and fix the problems within our own team.”
South Korea will face the winners of Group D for a place in the semifinals at 12:30 a.m. on the 18th at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Group D is currently led by China and Australia, who are battling for top spot. If Korea clear the quarterfinal hurdle, they will face the winners of the Japan–Jordan match for a place in the final.


jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter