Seoul: With their 2-0 win over Paraguay in a friendly match Tuesday night in Seoul, just four days after a demoralizing 5-0 defeat to Brazil, South Korean players made Son Heung-min a proud captain. Son did not factor into scoring and only logged 45 minutes of action, but 20-something youngsters Eom Ji-sung and Oh Hyeon-gyu took care of the scoring in the victory at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Son expressed his gratitude and pride in the young players for their performance. "After a big loss like the one we had, players can feel discouraged, and it can show on the field," Son said. "And to see my teammates put that behind and pounce on their chances, I felt really grateful as their captain. The biggest key was we did our thing and executed our plan, regardless of what the other team was trying to do."
Son, 33, played about 65 minutes against Brazil and then only the first half against Paraguay. He mentioned his readiness to play a full 90 minutes, but he is content with observing from the bench as long as head coach Hong Myung-bo informs him of his plans. "I felt we all competed toward our common goal and had control of the match," Son observed. "When some of the young guys play as well as they did today, I feel really proud as their captain. I want to see them do even better down the road."
The captain acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead for South Korea as they prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. "I think we have to pay attention to small details," he said. "And when we go up against strong teams, we have to think about how we can be more aggressive. For instance, I think we respected Brazil too much, and that had a big influence on the result. We now know it hurts to get punched like that, and we have to learn how to fight back."
The match against Paraguay witnessed a turnout of about 22,000 fans, significantly lower than the crowd for the Brazil match. Addressing the sparse attendance, Son remarked, "I think we have to be appreciative of the fans who came today." He added, "If we play better football and more entertaining football, then, I am sure fans will return to the stadium. That's our responsibility."