Post-match: [2026 World Cup] Mexico vs. Korea

Start Oh Hyeon Gyu!

 

I wanna see Son as a winger and Oh as a striker just like this match.

 

who would play right winger though? should have brought Yang Min Hyeok if we were gonna play traditional wingers.

 

YMH is not even good enough to get subbed in right now.. LKI is pretty much a fixed starter on the right side. I bet HMB will sub in LDK vs Mexico though.

 

Fun fact: We never won the 2nd game in the WC.

4 draws 7 losses.

 

it just gives more options to let YMH play RW and LKI in the central.

I don't know but players like Lee Dong-Gyeong is just a waste of space. Much rather have a younger kid with a higher ceiling than K-League players in their late 20s.

One injury to Hwang in Beom, Kim Min Jae or Lee Kang in and this team is done. I pray they stay fit every match and don't get suspended either.

 

I hope you are trolling. YMH does not deserve a spot in the current squad over the likes of LSW, KMS, little JWY, HHS, etc.

 

FYI, the ref for this match has given out ~1700 yellow cards and ~40 red cards in ~320 matches. 5 yellow cards/match on average. Good that it is our 2nd match as all cards get removed after the 3rd match.

 

I feel like Jens is needed for Mexico and hope he gets in. From what ive seen hes very good at transitions/holding and there will be plenty in this match

 

as always Mexico plays better against better competition. i wouldn’t get lulled by that performance against S Africa. they’re going to be chomping at the bits for this one

 

I HARD second this.

 

I've been listening to a lot of Mexican media and pundits too (some translated to English and some to Korean) and "chomping at the bits" isn't it at all.

They're genuinely worried facing Korea. They know they don't the talent of KMJ SHM LKI OHG and one thing I've heard over and over again is that they lack speed and Korea's got some speed up top.

Mexican still a favorite at home. But I think it'll be a close dog fight to the end that can go either direction.

 

100%. I need to see Jens out there. At least give him 30 mins in the 2nd half.

I get that for the first game Hong went conservative/defensive but we're not "supposed to win" this match vs Mexico. I don't see the point of playing conservative and lose narrowly. Might as well go for it and see what we can do.

 

LKI mostly obviously. Yes he free roams more so not a traditional RW but technically that's where he starts and operates.

I imagine LDG or BJH also rotates in there. BJH played RW and LDG as LW vs Trinidad and Tobago but I think they can both play either side.

 

not to look past opponents but us playing in LA possibly

OMG

 

Versus a more mobile team, I am tentative about the idea of using both Son Heung-Min and Oh Hyeon-Gyu, which might lead to difficulty in midfield.

I am not sure if Son Heung-Min is the kind of player that is worth potentially destabilizing team tactics for, in return for further optimization of the individual. For Lee Kang-In, maybe, but even then, does he really shine that much more with these two upfront?

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/mScUDg-9fQM?si=HKm6JYlR1oqMY3vN

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/mScUDg-9fQM?si=HKm6JYlR1oqMY3vN

 

Judging by the first games this could be fun. I dont think Mexico had something special at all.
But first game is the first game. Massive support also.

Want to see Oh start.

 

Funnily enough, he made his way to Mexico:

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/jyGzAUjtqKo?is=Mzx820z06gzi7nNq

 

Stepping back, this is a critical match for this generation of players for the World Cup. The avg age of the starters vs. Czechia was over 28 years old. And looking at the up-and coming generation, I'm not seeing the talent that we'll be losing. It's kind of now or never.

 

In this particular situation, I'd say this IMHO..

1. Don't fight too hard vs. Mexico. Take it easy..
2. Losing to Mexico is okay, maybe a 1-0 or 2-1, 2-0 loss
3. Save the better guys for the third match

2nd place please.

 

2nd place gives us a better chance of facing weaker teams in the next round, but if we come 1st there's the advantage of staying at our home base in Mexico, and playing at elevation against teams that haven't acclimatised to the altitude and would have to relocate.

But yeah I do broadly agree that it would be shrewd not to go all-in trying to beat Mexico.