Tomorrow World Cup 3rd qualifying round Group B 3rd match
Excluded from A match for the first time in about 3 years due to hand injury… Hong announces preparation of 3 left wing attackers
Korea suffers shock loss to Jordan in February Asian Cup… Aiming to turn the tide with an away win in the Middle East
The Korean national soccer team will play a match against Jordan in Group B of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asia 3rd qualifying round at 11 p.m. on the 10th. Korea, which lost to Jordan in the Asian Cup in February this year, is seeking revenge, but the situation is not easy. This is because captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham) cannot play due to injury. Attention is focused on which striker Hong Myung-bo, the coach of the national soccer team, will present as a ‘sure-win card’ in Son Heung-min’s place.
Son Heung-min has not been able to play since he withdrew to the bench during Tottenham’s UEFA Europa League match on the 27th of last month after complaining of pain in his left thigh. Coach Hong added Son Heung-min to the national team list but excluded him a few days later. This is to help you recover from your injury as quickly as possible. The national team will have to play without Son Heung-min not only against Jordan but also against Iraq in the third preliminary round held at Yongin Mir Stadium on the 15th. It has been 2 years and 9 months since January 2022 that Son Heung-min was not called up during the international match period, when European league players can join the national team. At the time, Son Heung-min was unable to play in the two final Asian qualifying matches for the 2022 Qatar World Cup due to a leg muscle injury.
Son Heung-min is a key striker of the national team who needs no explanation. He scored a total of 49 goals in 129 A matches, including leading Korea to a 3-1 victory with 1 goal and 2 assists in the 3rd preliminary round match against Oman last month. In order for Korea to win the game against Jordan, they must successfully fill Son Heung-min’s vacancy. On the 30th of last month, Coach Hong announced the national team list for the two-game international match in October and said, “We have prepared ‘Plan B’ in case Son Heung-min cannot play,” and “In Son Heung-min’s position (left wing attacker), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) He said, “Jaesung Lee (Mainz), Junho Bae (Stoke City), etc. can play.”
Hwang Hee-chan, who has a total of 15 goals in 68 international matches, is the striker with the most international goals among the players called up to the national team. Hwang Hee-chan has an excellent ability to break down the opponent’s side defense with powerful breakthroughs. Multi-player Lee Jae-seong (11 goals in 90 international matches) has the advantage of efficient linkage play with the frontline striker based on his high activity level and wide field of vision. Bae Jun-ho, a 21-year-old prospect (1 goal in 2 international matches), has an excellent ability to escape pressure from the opponent’s defense and can serve as a vital force for the attack.
Korea suffered a shock 0-2 loss to Jordan in the semifinals of the Asian Cup in February, failing to win the tournament for the first time in 64 years. At the time, Jordan’s FIFA ranking was 87th, 64 places lower than Korea’s 23rd place. In the aftermath of the defeat against Jordan, then-coach Jurgen Klinsmann was dismissed, and the national team went through a temporary coaching system, with coach Hong taking over as new coach in July. Coach Hong is not welcomed by fans due to controversy over the unfairness of the head coach selection process.
In Group B of the third preliminary round, Jordan is in first place and Korea is in second place as of the 8th. The two teams have 4 points with 1 win and 1 draw, and their goal differential is also the same at +2. Jordan (4 goals) is ahead of Korea (3 goals) in terms of goals scored. In the third preliminary round, in which 18 countries advance, six teams will be divided into three groups and play ‘home and away full league’ matches. The first and second places in each group advance directly to the World Cup finals. If Korea defeats Jordan in an enemy field, Coach Hong can provide an opportunity to change the critical atmosphere toward him. However, if the team loses to Jordan, negative public opinion may increase.
Reporter Jeong Yun-cheol trigger@donga.com