 |
| Photo =Capture SNS of the Korea Football Association |
|
 |
| 스포츠조선 DB |
|
 |
| 스포츠조선 DB |
|
Son Heung-min (Tottenham) is taking a break, but Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) is back. Kim Min-jae's vacancy will once again be filled by Kwon Kyung-won (Corpacan Club) and Cho Yoo-min (Sharja FC).
Hong Myung-bo will start with just one step left to advance to the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup finals. South Korea will play its ninth Group B match against Iraq at 3:15 a.m. on the 6th at Basra International Stadium in Iraq in the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup.
On the 10th, the match against Kuwait will be held at Sangam World Cup Stadium in Seoul, Korea. Only one point is needed to advance. South Korea maintains the top spot in Group B with 16 points (4 wins and 4 draws). Jordan ranks second (13, 3 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss) and Iraq is third (12 points, 3 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses). Oman ranks fourth (10 points, 3 wins, 1 draw and 4 losses), and Palestine (6, 1 win, 3 draws and 4 losses) and Kuwait (5, 5 draws and 3 losses). In the third qualifying round, the first and second places in each group will win a ticket to the World Cup finals. The third and fourth places will go to the fourth qualifying round, while the fifth and sixth places will be eliminated. South Korea will secure at least second place in the group if it wins one draw in two matches.
 |
| Photo =Korea Football Association |
|
Making it to the finals is history. It is the first time in Asia to advance to the World Cup finals for 11 consecutive times, followed by Brazil (22 times), Germany (18 times), Italy (14 times), Argentina (13 times), and Spain (12 times). The best-case scenario is by far a confirmation of progress against Iraq. In terms of power, South Korea has the upper hand. South Korea's FIFA ranking is 23rd, while Iraq is 59th, showing a clear gap. South Korea is also dominant with 10 wins, 12 draws, and 2 losses in its previous A-match opponents.
However, there are always many variables in the Middle East expedition. Considering that it is June, the hot weather that will bite the players is also not easy. Although the game is played at 9 p.m. local time, the energy exceeding 30 degrees Celsius is an obstacle that can greatly affect the players' performance. Since it is 45 degrees Celsius during the day and 35 degrees Celsius during the evening, the national team has also adjusted the training time to as late as possible.
What to expect is Hong Myung-bo's away performance. He only won one and drew three games at home, but he won more on the road with three wins and one draw. Coach Hong selected the players by intensively analyzing their performance from the national team list to confirm their advance to the finals by continuing their rise in away games. In training in Iraq, we reviewed the offensive and defensive positions well and struggled to find the best combination.
 |
| Photo =Korea Football Association |
|
Coach Hong Myung-bo revealed his best 11 players to face Iraq. Maintain a 4-2-3-1 formation. Oh Se-hoon (Machida) will be at the front line, and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) and Lee Jae-sung (Mines) Lee Kang-in will be at the second line. Park Yong-woo (Al Ain) and Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) will work together in the third term. Lee Tae-seok (Pohang), Kwon Kyung-won (Pohang), Cho Yoo-min and Seol Young-woo (Zvezda) will participate in the four-back. Cho Hyun-woo (Ulsan) will protect the goal.
Son Heung-min has been excluded from the list and will rest this game. Son Heung-min previously missed a considerable period of time due to a foot injury in his team Tottenham. He left due to a foot injury and returned from the Europa League final, his team's most important game of the season, where he played for about 30 minutes as a substitute. However, in the final league match that followed, the manager missed the match, directly revealing the aftermath of the injury. Coach Hong previously called it because he conveyed that there was no big problem playing in the game when the national team's selection list was announced. I will be able to move in consideration of the situation and condition of the gameConsidering Son Heung-min's physical condition, he did not make excessive use of the team.
On the other hand, Lee Kang-in, who is starting, has not played in recent games even though he has no physical problems, so he should increase his performance through the match against Iraq. The final of the league 1, the cup de France final, and the European Champions League final all missed. It is an opportunity to gain momentum again through the national team game. Lee Kang-in, who missed the match against Jordan after being injured in the match against Oman in March, felt a gap at the time. It is an opportunity to show your influence in the national team once again.
 |
| Photo =Korea Football Association |
|
Hong said in a pre-press conference, `Tomorrow's game will definitely not be easy. I think there will be difficulties in all aspects. I trust the players from the manager's point of view. I've been doing well so far, and I expect you to play well tomorrow. I will prepare well today so that I can win points" expressed his will.
Hwang In-beom, who was present at the press conference, also said "It is an important game in whether or not he can advance to the World Cup. It's not as burdensome as it should be against a good team called Iraq, but the team came together and prepared well. I believe that if I can show it well on the field, I can have a good game and a good result."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
