Hong Myungbo’s Bold Substitution: “This Is Why Managers Are Paid the Big Money”

BBC Hails "The Decision That Secured Victory"

"Oh Hyunkyoo Was a Planned Move"... Coach Hong’s Confidence

Coach Hong Myung-bo’s bold substitution paid off in the opening match of the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup, earning praise from the BBC, which commented, “This is why managers are paid the big money.”

Under Coach Hong’s leadership, the Korean national football team pulled off a thrilling 2-1 come-from-behind victory against Czech Republic in their first Group A match of the FIFA 2026 CONCACAF World Cup on June 12, with Hwang Inbeom (Feyenoord) scoring the equalizer and Oh Hyunkyoo netting the go-ahead goal.

Coach Hong Myung-bo and players. Photo by Yonhap News

In the 69th minute of the second half, Coach Hong called captain Son Heungmin to the bench and brought on striker Oh Hyunkyoo. At the time, the decision was considered unexpected, but it ultimately proved to be the decisive move of the match.

Oh Hyunkyoo scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute, breaking the 1-1 deadlock. Having started the match on the bench, he was substituted in for captain Son Heungmin in the 69th minute, scoring just 11 minutes after entering the pitch.

Clinton Morrison, the Ireland-born striker who provided commentary for the BBC broadcast, highly praised Coach Hong’s decision after the match.

He said, “When Son Heungmin, the captain, was taken off for Oh Hyunkyoo, I didn’t think it was the right call. But in the end, that decision led to victory.” He added, “This is exactly why managers receive big paychecks at major tournaments,” commending Coach Hong’s decisiveness.

On the 11th (local time) at the Zapopan Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico, Oh Hyunkyoo scored the go-ahead goal in the first Group A match of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup between Korea and the Czech Republic. Photo by Yonhap News

He continued, “Korea understands how significant this win is. These three points will give them great confidence in the remaining matches. I believe Korea will advance to the knockout stage. Even after conceding first, Korea demonstrated character and quality in the final third.”

The national team led by Coach Hong Myung-bo defeated Czech Republic 2-1 in their first Group A match of the CONCACAF World Cup group stage at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico on June 12 (Korean time). As a result, Korea placed second in Group A, trailing Mexico (one win) in goal difference.

After the match, Coach Hong commented on substituting Son Heungmin, saying, “As captain, he played an important role and brought stability to the team’s play. It’s not fair to judge him just by the missed chances. He’s in good scoring form right now.”

Regarding Oh Hyunkyoo, he said, “He was a card we had prepared from the start. He raised his condition quickly and fulfilled the role we expected of him excellently.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.