The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hwang Sun-hong, drew 1-1 with Thailand in the third Group C match of the second qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North-Central America World Cup held at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 21st.
Korea (score: seven), which had two wins and one draw, maintained its No. 1 position in the group. It sought its first win under interim coach Hwang Sun-hong but pushed it back to the next stage. Thailand (score: four) maintained its second place with one win, one draw and one loss.
Korea started 4-2-3-1. Joo Min-gyu (Ulsan HD) was at the forefront of the team, while Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), Lee Jae-seong (Mainz), and Jung Woo-young (Stutgart) supported the team. Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City) and Hwang In-beom (Zvezda) kept the midfielders, while Kim Jin-soo (Jeonbuk Hyundai), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Kim Young-kwon, and Seol Young-woo (Ulsan) kept the defense line. Cho Hyun-woo (Ulsan) kept the goal.
South Korea struggled at the beginning of the game. Pass and ball handling mistakes came in succession, causing a crisis. Thailand's consecutive shots came out, but it was blocked with a hand-to-hand defense. Cho Hyun-woo hit Thailand's free kick in the 5th minute of the first half, but it did not go far. Piraton Chamratsami connected with a shot, but the defense blocked it again this time.
Three minutes later, South Korea faced a dizzying situation. Thailand's counterattack began as Paik Seung-ho missed the ball. Supachai Chaidid attempted a mid-range shot, but Cho Hyun-woo blocked it with a fantastic dive.
South Korea, which overcame the crisis, slowly took the lead. In the 19th minute of the first half, the Thai goalkeeper missed Hwang In-beom's mid-range shot. Joo Min-kyu, who was at the gate, aimed for the goal but missed it.
Korea's offensives continued. In the 30th minute of the first half, Son's free kick deflected off the Korean player and headed for the goal, but the goalkeeper managed to block it. In the 36th minute of the first half, Son tried to shoot with his left foot in conjunction with Joo Min-kyu, Son Heung-min and Lee Jae-sung, but it went up on the goalpost.
South Korea, which continued to tap the Thai goal, broke the balance of zero. Lee Jae-sung, who penetrated the left side in the 41st minute of the first half, gave the ball back. Son Heung-min, who was rushing, shook the Thai net with a simple left-footed shot.
In the second half, South Korea did not slow down its offensive. In the seventh minute of the second half, Jung Woo-young and Lee Jae-sung broke down the right side with Lee Dae-il's pass. Jung Woo-young even connected a left-footed shot, but hit the net.
South Korea, which failed to escape, lost a point. In the 17th minute of the second half, Sufanat Muehanta, who was replaced, attempted to convert the game the other way. Nicholas Mickelson's shot flowed between the defense and the goalkeeper. Sufanat Muehanta pushed in and gave up the equalizer.
Immediately after the loss, Korea replaced Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) and Hong Hyun-suk (Hent). Korea immediately took the opportunity. In the 18th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min's left foot kick from the right side of the penalty box was blocked by the goalkeeper. Five minutes later, Kim Jin-soo, who received Lee Jae-seong's penetration pass, slightly gave it to his side. Son, who was rushing, shook the net, but was ruled offside.
South Korea launched a wave offensive at the end of the game. In the 43rd minute of the second half, Hwang In-beom connected with a shot that Son Heung-min gave, but the goalkeeper was blocked. Lee Kang-in aimed for the flowing ball again, but it was blocked by the defense. Kim Young-kwon's shot in the ensuing corner kick was also not right.
A minute later, he created an opportunity through a linked pass near the penalty box. Baek Seung-ho saw the outside goalpost at the gate, but it was slightly off.
In the end, there was no extra point and I had to settle for the draw.
BY: 토토