Belgium-Rep. of Korea - L. Mpenza: "I'm going to avoid talking about football for a couple of weeks"

25.06.98 21h02 CET

Mbo MPENZA (9): "I would have preferred a different kind of disappointment. I have never been in a similar situation. Obviously, we are painfully aware of the future implications of our defeat. I'm going to take a two-week holiday. We felt liberated after our goal but unfortunately we sank quickly and couldn't manage to put it together to score a second goal, which would have enabled us to ice the match."

Marc WILMOTS (7): "Perhaps we weren't sufficiently balanced. In the second half, we didn't construct our attack, we just kicked long balls to the forwards. Nobody followed in the midfield. We should have varied our attack but we just couldn't pull it off. We wanted a win and we did everything we could – perhaps somewhat clumsily... We pressed them and we created opportunities, but when they changed tactics, we failed to react. I'm now going off on holiday with my wife and my son."

Gordan VIDOVIC (4): "We played three good matches, our match against MEXICO was the most important. We really should have won today, but unfortunately that wasn't to be. Now, I'll go home, back to Moeskroen, my club."

Lokenda MPENZA (20): "Everyone thought we were going to make it into the second round – unfortunately we failed. The first fifteen minutes went well, but we didn't manage to score a second goal, which would have given us assurance. We led 1 - 0 at that moment, we thought we had qualified, and yet they managed to equalise. Yes, I'm very disappointed, I'm going to avoid talking about football for a couple of weeks."

Eric DEFLANDRE (22): "We are very disappointed with this draw, especially since we won't be in the second round. After a good start, we unfortunately fell apart in the second half. We scored our first goal too early and then we kept getting repelled by the Korean attacks. Personally, I am satisfied with my World Cup experience. I was fit for this tournament and happy to be able to rub elbows with world-class players."

Gert VERHEYEN (18), sidelined by suspension: "The atmosphere in the locker room was gloomy. Everyone was depressed, really crushed. The result of the NETHERLANDS-MEXICO match had no effect on our play, as we didn't learn the score until we left the pitch. With a one-goal lead, we might have tried to hold on, but, sadly, we chose the wrong strategy."