(Asiad) Football coach implores players to learn from defensive lapse in opening victory

NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- As happy as he may have been to win the first match of the Asian Games men's football tournament in central Japan on Tuesday, South Korea head coach Lee Min-sung was none too pleased with the way the game ended.

South Korea defeated Qatar 4-1 in their first Group D match at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Rugby Field in Nagoya amid pouring rain, with Swansea City midfielder Eom Ji-sung scoring a hat trick in the first half alone and KRC Genk forward Kim Myeong-jun chipping in the fourth goal.

But South Korea suffered a momentary lapse of concentration in their own zone, allowing substitute Marwan Sherif to score Qatar's lone goal in the 85th minute.

Mindful that South Korea's objective is to win the gold medal, not just the first match, Lee said his players have to tighten things up in their own territory going forward.

"Our players did a great job, but we could have done without the late goal," the coach said. "I think conceding that goal will be an opportunity for the players to learn how to stay focused, as we move on to the next match, the quarterfinals, the semifinals and the final."

The young Taegeuk Warriors -- the Asian Games tournament is for under-23 players, with each team able to take a maximum three over-age players -- are trying to bring home a fourth consecutive gold medal.

And doing so will have an added bonus for players, as they will receive exemption from the mandatory military service, if they have not already fulfilled their obligations already.

Lee said his players are not thinking about the military service situation at the tournament.

"We are here to win the competition while representing our country," he said. "Whenever I talk to my players, I never bring up the military service issue. We are trying to win the gold medal here, and that is our only objective."

Lee said he sought to lean into individual brilliance of players who ply their trade in Europe, with two such players, Eom and Kim, doing the heavy lifting.

"I think our players did well to get into the space behind the defense," Lee said. "And since this was only our first match, there were moments when we could have created better scoring chances, but we were held back by our lack of cohesion. And on the defensive end, we cannot give up a goal the way we did."

Lee also declined to praise Eom when given a chance, despite the player's offensive outburst.

"It is not appropriate for me to single out a particular player and praise him publicly," he said. "I will do that privately when I get the chance. I think every player deserved recognition today, even the ones who did not get into the match. It is thanks to those reserves that our starting members performed so well today."