South Korea Draws With Venezuela in Ulsan
The South Korea national football team played to a 0–0 draw against Venezuela in an international friendly match on October 2 at the Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium, hani.co.kr reported. The result brings the squad’s record under interim manager Robert Moreno to one win, one draw, and one loss across three matches following a 3–0 victory over Ecuador on September 24 and a 1–4 defeat to Uruguay on September 28.
Moreno Deploys 4–4–2 Formation
Manager Robert Moreno utilized a 4–4–2 formation for the third match. Captain Son Heung-min started alongside Oh Hyun-gyu in a two-man attack, while Kim Min-su and Lee Kang-in occupied the flanks. Hwang In-beom and Park Jin-seop anchored the midfield, and the backline featured Cho Hyun-tek, Kim Min-재 (Kim Min-jae), Lee Han-beom, and Seol Young-woo. Goalkeeper Song Bum-keun made his first start under the Moreno coaching staff, hani.co.kr reported.
South Korea struggled to establish rhythm against Venezuela, ranked 47th in FIFA’s standings compared to South Korea at 32nd. Midfield passing combinations repeatedly broke down under opponent pressure, forcing the team to rely on inaccurate long balls from the back. The squad registered only one shot in the first half with zero attempts on target, according to hani.co.kr and m.news.nate.com coverage.
Kim Min-jae Criticizes Team Performance
Central defender Kim Min-jae expressed frustration following the match, voicing dissatisfaction with the team’s defensive structure and collective effort. Broadcast cameras captured Kim showing visible discontent toward the coaching staff when substituted in the 35th minute of the second half, alongside throwing his boots on the bench, hani.co.kr reported.
“Honestly, looking at the defensive players, I feel pity,” Kim stated in a post-match broadcast interview recorded by hani.co.kr and m.news.nate.com. “Today’s match did not feel like everyone was fighting together as a whole. Even if we had won, I wouldn’t have felt good about it.”
Kim added that the team requires significant improvement in collective duels and defensive unity. “The most important thing is for the team to unite as one,” Kim said according to hani.co.kr. “Instead of individuals shining, the team needs to play as one whole to achieve results. Everyone needs to put their head down and work hard to elevate the team’s level.”
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