Uli Stielike's South Korean team stumbled to a 3-1 defeat against World Cup quarterfinalists Costa Rica on Tuesday in front of nearly 40,000 home fans at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
However, the German-born coach doesn't believe that his team's preparation for the AFC Asian Cup is off track. Instead, he is looking ahead to the upcoming friendlies in West Asia.
"It was not a big defeat [against Costa Rica]," said Stielike, who was appointed South Korea boss on Sept. 5 following the team's first round exit from the World Cup. "The players showed their power, pace and will to win. We have to keep working hard on our game in order to get better results."
Next month, South Korea face Jordan and Iran in friendlies -- giving Stielike a vital chance to test his squad against West Asian competition ahead of January's Asian Cup. Two of the Taegeuk Warriors' opponents in the group stage will be from the gulf states -- Kuwait and Jordan -- in addition to hosts and 2011 runner-up Australia.
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Against Costa Rica though, South Korea succumbed to the clinical finishing of midfielder Celso Borges, who scored twice. Defender Oscar Duarte added a third for the surprise package at Brazil 2014. Jeonbuk Motors forward Lee Dong-Gook scored the consolation goal for the home side.
Costa Rica started with nine players from the World Cup squad, including goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who was one of the heroes of the World Cup having kept three clean sheets in five matches.
South Korea started with six World Cup members. One of them, midfielder Park Joo-Ho, had not played a single minute in Brazil, where the team crashed out at the group stage without winning a single game.
Costa Rica drew first blood in the 38th minute. Forward Bryan Ruiz headed down a long cross in the box, which Borges netted past the diving Korean goalkeeper, Kim Seung-Gyu.
South Korea equalised near the end of the first half when Lee got at the end of a low cross by Bayer Leverkusen winger Son Heung-Min to slot in past Nevas.
Borges restored the visitors' lead early in the second half by back-healing a cross from David Ramirez. South Korea made a valiant attempt to get back in the game with several incursions into the Costa Rican box. But the home team just could not score.
A clinical Costa Rica settled the game in the 78th minute. Duarte out-jumped goalkeeper Kim to head in Ruiz's corner.