The head coach Hong Myung-bo, who guided the team to success in the match against the Czech Republic—an important challenge during the group phase—mentioned in an interview after the game, "I told the players to keep their positions and prevent losing control of the ball."
On the 12th, following a 2-1 victory in the opening group-stage game of the North Central American World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic, Hong stated, "I instructed Lee Kang-in (25) to remain in the half-space (the zone between the wing and midfield)," and noted, "I also advised Seol Young-woo (28) to make runs whenever opportunities arose."
South Korea's national squad pulled off a remarkable come-from-behind triumph with back-to-back scores from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu. Hong remarked, "It's encouraging that our athletes remained determined and clinched the victory," and further stated, "I'd like to commend their effort."
When questioned about what he conveyed to the players during the water break following the match being level at 1-1 in the second half, Hong stated, "I told them, 'We have the ability to score sufficiently, so we should keep doing what we're doing.'" Speaking about Hwang In-beom (30), who contributed one goal and one assist, he mentioned, "Initially, I intended for him to play approximately 60 minutes, but his determination to stay on the field enabled him to make the difference." Concerning Oh Hyeon-gyu, who netted the winning goal through an incredibly fast sprint, Hong remarked, "Although he wasn’t in good shape, he put in great effort to swiftly return to top performance."
South Korea controlled play for most of the game but fell behind in the 14th minute of the second half after a throw-in by Czech player Vladimir Coufal resulted in a header from Ladislav Krejčí. Yet, just eight minutes later, during the 22nd minute of the second half, Lee Kang-in made an accurate through ball, allowing Hwang In-beom to maneuver past the keeper and defenders with a smart chip shot to level the score. Later, in the 35th minute of the second half, Oh Hyeon-gyu leapt to head a low cross from Hwang In-beom into the net, scoring the decisive goal.
Czech athletes frequently appeared out of breath as captured by the television cameras throughout the game. The consequences of playing at an elevation of 1,571 meters above sea level in Guadalajara were clearly visible on their expressions. South Korea had spent three weeks acclimating to the high altitude, whereas the Czech squad arrived in Guadalajara just prior to the match. Hong stated, "I think the high-altitude environment made a considerable difference," noting, "The physical endurance of the Czech players declined in the second half, while ours increased our pressure."
Speaking about the second-group stage encounter with Mexico scheduled for the 19th, Hong said, "This has turned into a crucial match," and promised, "We will get ready properly throughout the week." As South Africa is seen as the least strong side in Group A, a win by South Korea against Mexico would almost certainly guarantee their position at the top of the group.