"South Korea scheduled its friendlies earlier because it was placed in Group A with Mexico, meaning its matches begin earlier," Kang said.
"That is also why there was not a wide range of teams to choose from."
Son Heung-min Leads with Brace in Tactical Formation
On the pitch, South Korea utilized an efficient modified 3-4-2-1 formation that transitioned to a 4-2-3-1 system during attacks, leading to goals from Son Heung-min, Cho Gue-sung, and Hwang Hee-chan.
National team debutant Lee Ki-hyeok delivered a standout full-90-minute performance as the left stopper in the back three, achieving a 95% pass accuracy rate according to football statistics specialist SofaScore.
"Lee Ki-hyeok's performance was excellent, even though it was essentially his A-match debut," said Coach Hong Myung-bo in a post-match interview with NEWS1.
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Prior to the squad selection, Hong had emphasized the player's flexibility when naming the final roster.
"Lee Ki-hyeok is a versatile player capable of playing both as a midfielder and a full-back," said Coach Hong.
Captain Son Heung-min led the offensive charge by scoring a first-half brace, utilizing the unfamiliar jersey No. 13 as part of a tactical move by the team to obscure details from future World Cup opponents.
Son broke the scoreless tie in the 40th minute by redirecting a cross from Kim Moon-hwan, then added a penalty kick two minutes later after Bae Jun-ho drew a foul in the box, bringing his international goal tally to 56.
