"Why Take Son Out?" Global Reaction to Hong Myung-bo's Tactical Decision

A renowned British football commentator has highly praised head coach Hong Myung-bo's substitution tactics.

Clinton Morrison, a commentator for the British broadcaster BBC, addressed the decision by Coach Hong to substitute Son Heung-min for Oh Hyeon-gyu in the 69th minute of the first Group A match between South Korea and the Czech Republic at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. "At the time, I didn't think it was the right decision to take off the captain, Son Heung-min," he said.

However, he continued, "It was the right decision, and Oh Hyeon-gyu brought the victory to South Korea," adding, "This is exactly why managers get paid the big bucks in major tournaments like this," while heaping praise on Coach Hong.

Commentator Morrison added, "South Korea knew how big this win was. This victory will bring huge confidence to South Korea and will help them move forward and reach the knockout stage."

He also did not hold back his praise, saying, "In my opinion, South Korea looks like they will advance to the knockout stage. Even when they were trailing, South Korea showed the strength to never give up and fight back."

Foreign media also continued to praise the South Korean team's comeback victory.

The local Mexican media outlet Marca Mexico evaluated the win, stating, "South Korea's comeback victory against the Czech Republic was well-deserved. They have taken their first step toward advancing to the next round."

Fox Sports in the United States also praised national team midfielder Hwang In-beom, who recorded one goal and one assist, calling his performance a "stunning equalizer that broke the opponent's ankles."

The World Cup national team, led by Coach Hong, secured a 2-1 victory against the Czech Republic with consecutive goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu in the first Group A match of the North American World Cup, held at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico today (June 12) at 11:00 a.m. KST.

The World Cup national team will play its second Group A match against Mexico on June 19 at 10:00 a.m. KST.

Reported by Kim Ji-wook | Video by Choi Kang-san | Graphics by Lee Soo-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.