The Albany Gazette - South Korea coach bereft of answers with World Cup hopes on knife-edge

Hong gambled and lost as South Korea were stunned 1-0 by South Africa on Wednesday in Monterrey in a damaging defeat in Group A.

That left them hoping to advance in North America as one of the best third-placed finishers and they now anxiously await their fate.

Results in other groups have since gone against them, piling more pressure on Hong, who is deeply unpopular with South Korean fans and media.

Hong said the hot weather had been an issue in Monterrey, but was otherwise grappling to find answers for the shock loss to South Africa.

"We weren't able to identify that many reasons, but I think environmental factors created problems," Hong, who surprisingly dropped captain Son Heung-min, said according to Yonhap News Agency.

He admitted his men "looked quite slow" against South Africa, in contrast to a more battling performance in going down by the same 1-0 scoreline to co-hosts Mexico in Guadalajara, where it is not as hot.

"In terms of their conditioning and fitness, there wasn't a noticeable difference from the Mexico game. It was difficult to find out why the players looked quite slow," he said.

A draw against lower-ranked South Africa would have been enough to progress, but Hong said his side had felt the pressure.

"The combination of their mental state and scorching weather made things difficult for the team," Hong added.

The former captain is in his second stint as coach.

During his first he oversaw a group-stage exit at the 2014 World Cup, where they lost two matches and drew one.

(F.Jackson--TAG)