South Korea on brink of WC exit after 'wrong' Son gamble

Key Points:

• South Korea coach Hong Myung-Bo made a controversial decision to bench captain Son Heung-Min for the crucial World Cup Group A match against South Africa, marking the first time Son was not in the starting lineup since his national team debut.
• The gamble backfired as South Africa secured a 1-0 victory, advancing to the knockout round for the first time, while South Korea now must await other results to determine if they advance as one of the best third-place teams.
• Hong faced harsh criticism from South Korean media, who labeled the result "unacceptable" and the lineup changes a "failure," with the coach admitting hindsight might have led him to make different decisions.
• Hong explained his strategy was to introduce Son later in the game when opponents might tire and create more space, but acknowledged the plan did not work as intended, calling the match their "worst game" of the tournament.
• This disappointing result adds to Hong's mixed World Cup record, including South Korea's winless 2014 campaign, their worst since 1998.