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In 4-0 drubbing by Ivory Coast, Korea ran dry after hydration break while opponent flooded scoreboard

Published: 31 Mar. 2026, 14:01 Updated: 31 Mar. 2026, 15:44

Korea players gather during a hydration break in a friendly against Ivory Coast at MK Stadium in Britain on March 28. [YONHAP]

Korea’s 4-0 loss to the Ivory Coast in a friendly on Saturday showed how the newly introduced hydration break system can turn a brief pause into a decisive tactical turning point, but Korea national team manager Hong Myung-bo failed to make effective use of the stoppage.

Korea started strong, but couldn't make their chances count in the first few minutes. When both teams went into the hydration break in the 22nd minute, Hong could have used it as a tactical reset. However, it instead turned out to be what he called a moment when “players lost concentration.”

During the break, Hong only held a lengthy discussion with forward Hwang Hee-chan, while on the other side, Ivory Coast coach Emerse Faé appeared to use the time to give the entire team instructions. His squad demonstrated more agile movements after the break, targeting space behind Korea’s defense with long passes and individual skills, scoring two goals in the first half before adding two more in the second.

“The players lost concentration during the three-minute break,” Hong admitted after the match.

Fullback Seol Young-woo added that it just felt like “a time to drink water and rest.”

FIFA recently introduced the hydration break system. Unlike the existing cooling break, which allows a one-minute pause at the referee’s discretion when ground temperatures exceed 32 degrees Celsius (89 degrees Fahrenheit), the new rule mandates three-minute breaks after the 22nd minute in each half regardless of conditions.

FIFA has framed the change as a measure to protect players, but critics argue that it effectively divides matches into four quarters of roughly 22 minutes each to increase revenue opportunities. During the stoppages, FIFA and broadcasters can schedule additional advertisements.

Korea were due to face Austria in another friendly in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday as of press time. Alongside refining tactics and squad selection, Hong now faces an additional challenge: how to make effective use of hydration breaks.

Austria, led by coach Ralf Rangnick, use a highly organized pressing system. Key picks such as Konrad Laimer of Bayern Munich and Marcel Sabitzer of Borussia Dortmund are players Korea need to watch out for.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK LIN [[email protected]]