Lee Jae-seong scores first in the 38th minute of the first half… Hwang Hee-chan replaced due to injury.
Hong Myung-Boho took the lead against Jordan by scoring the first goal.
The Korean national team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, finished the first half with a 1-0 lead in the third match away to Jordan in the 2026 North, Central America World Cup Asia 3rd qualifying round group B match held at the Amman International Stadium in Jordan on the 10th (Korean time).
In the 38th minute of the first half, Lee Jae-seong (Mainz) scored the first goal with a header.
Korea achieved 1 win and 1 draw (4 points) in the 1st and 2nd rounds of the 3rd preliminary round held during the A-match period last September.
Although they have the same points and goal difference as Jordan, they are behind in points and are in second place in Group B. Jordan scored 4 goals and Korea scored 3 goals.
Korea is aiming to avenge its 0-2 loss to Jordan in the semifinals of the 2023 Qatar Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup held earlier this year.
While Son Heung-min (Tottenham) missed this call-up due to a hamstring (muscle behind the thigh) injury, Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) filled the void.
Veteran striker Ju Min-gyu (Ulsan) was at the center, with Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) on the left and right sides.
In the midfield, Lee Jae-seong, Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), and Park Yong-woo (Al Ain) were in charge of coordination.
The four-back defense consisted of Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), who wore the captain’s armband, and Jo Yu-min (Sharjah) as center backs, while the side fullbacks included Lee Myung-jae (Ulsan) and Seol Young-woo (Zvezda).
The goalkeeper gloves were worn by Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan).
Jordan’s one-two punch, Yazan Al-Naimat (Al-Arabi) and Moussa Al-Tamari (Montpellier), were both missing from the starting lineup. Alnaimat started the game on the bench, and Altamari was left out.
Jordan threatened the Korean defense with a quick side attack in the first half. In the 7th minute of the first half, Mohamed Abu Hashish’s right-footed shot, who joined the attack during the throw-in, hit the goalpost.
Fortunately, even though the previous cross crossed the goal line, it was not recognized as a goal, but it was a dizzying scene for Korea.
Korea also suffered from injuries. Hwang Hee-chan, who started as a replacement for Son Heung-min, broke his left ankle and collapsed in the 10th minute of the first half.
He got up again after the medical team was called in, but in the 21st minute of the first half, he injured his left foot again in a tackle and was eventually replaced. Coach Hong Myung-bo substituted Uhm Um-seong (Swansea City) in place of Hwang Hee-chan in the 23rd minute of the first half.
Jordan’s rough play continued. In the 35th minute of the first half, Hwang In-beom intercepted an opponent’s pass and fell after being caught in a back tackle by Nizar Alassidan while running.
In the 37th minute of the first half, Korea recorded its first effective shot with Lee Kang-in’s left-footed free kick taken by Hwang In-beom, but it went directly in front of the opposing goalkeeper.
Korea changed the mood and broke the balance with the first goal in the 38th minute of the first half. After Seol Young-woo beat the defender, Lee Jae-seong, who was rushing in a cross with his left foot, succeeded in scoring with a header in front of the goal.
This is Lee Jae-seong’s 12th goal in his 91st international match.
Afterwards, 8 minutes of extra time were given in the first half, but it ended without any additional goals.
[서울=뉴시스]