Hong wants players to keep heads high

MIAMI, Florida (Yonhap) ― With his squad reeling from a humiliating loss to Ghana, South Korean head coach Hong Myung-bo said Tuesday it is imperative for his young players to bounce back quickly, with an even bigger event on the horizon.

South Korea fell to Ghana 4-0 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami on Monday, in its last tune-up match for the FIFA World Cup.

South Korea’s first match in Group H will be against Russia on June 17, with matches against Algeria and Belgium to follow.

The 57th-ranked South Korea was beaten in every facet by the 37th-ranked Ghana.

Prior to the match, Hong spoke of the need to test his team’s mettle on both defense and offense. He acknowledged on Tuesday that his players committed too many mistakes and made the match too difficult for themselves.

“We have to look back on the problems that emerged in that match against Ghana,” the coach told reporters at St. Thomas University after a recovery session for the team. “We have a young team, and how quickly they can overcome their disappointments will be key.”

Hong’s 23-man unit is Korea’s youngest World Cup squad ever, with an average age of 26 years old. The team will arrive in Foz do Iguacu, its base camp in Brazil, on Wednesday. After spending the past dozen or so days in Miami, Hong said not all was lost for his squad.

“I am satisfied with how our training has gone in Miami,” he said. “Our players are close to being in top form. They worked on improving their agility, among other things that we didn’t do earlier (in South Korea).”

The coach stressed, though, his players have plenty more to do before the big tournament. “We still have issues on defense,” the former star defensive back said. “And the defenders aren’t the only ones to blame. Our offensive players must help out on defense, too.”

Goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong, the last line of defense, admitted the loss was tough to swallow, but he will keep his focus on what lies ahead. “I think we all had a valuable learning experience ahead of the World Cup,” Jung said. “I hope it will help us better prepare for the tournament.”