Korean coach Gong Oh Kyun of U23 Vietnam replied to press conference after the 1-1 draw against U23 South Korea on June 5 at the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.
Undervalued than U23 South Korea in all aspects, U23 Vietnam entered a difficult game before the opponent. Coach Gong Oh Kyun’s team was overwhelmed by the opponent and sometimes only held the ball less than 30%.
However, U23 Vietnam still played with great effort, overcoming pressure even when South Korea took the lead. Tien Long’s goal in the 83rd minute is a worthy reward after the tireless efforts of U23 Vietnam.
After the match, coach Gong Oh Kyun shared, “This is just a draw. I have to plan to prepare for the next match in the group stage. I appreciate the performance of the players because they gave their best until the last minute”.
The draw result is considered a favorable result for U23 Vietnam. However, the Korean leader was still not satisfied with the 1 point he got: “U23 Vietnam did not have much time to practice, but the players performed well and showed a cohesive play. With a draw, I apologize to Vietnamese fans. However, we still have 1 more match to get tickets to go deeper”.
I regret that U23 Vietnam did not win. I gave the best starting line-up and didn’t aim for a draw, I told the players that we are going to win, we don’t need a draw against U23 South Korea.”
“I think my players are full of confidence. Before the game I told the players that we should surprise the opponent. Now, I don’t think it’s time to improve tactics. What I need is for the players to eat well and sleep well to be in the best form for the next game.”
