Need an early head start to win in a landslide!
Kuwait, South Korea’s fifth opponent in Group B of the 2026 North-China World Cup Asia final qualifying round, is fifth with three draws and one loss and three points. South Korea, which is leading the group (3 wins, 1 draw, 10 points), is vowing to win the match at the Jabeur Al-Ahmad Stadium in Kuwait City at 11 p.m. on the 14th (Korea time).
The gap between the two teams is clear. Kuwait’s FIFA ranking is 135th, the lowest in Group B, far higher than Korea (22nd). In Group A, the second group qualifying round, which was relatively less difficult than other groups, the team ranked second (2 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses, 7 points) after Qatar (5 wins, 1 draw, 16 points).
Kuwait, however, is committed to earning points on its home turf. According to multiple Middle Eastern media, Kuwait’s coaching staff has closed their doors through Friday’s game against Jordan, which will take place in preparation for the match against Korea. It is a special measure to minimize exposure to its military capabilities, and is effectively a multiples’ journey.
If the team loses the match against Korea, it will be difficult to advance to the finals. The top two teams from the three groups will advance to the finals of the North-China World Cup, and the top two teams from each group will play in the playoff. Kuwait cannot afford to back down even if it encounters Korea, the strongest team in Group B.
Korea should take advantage of its impatient counterpart. It is important to gain a head start in the early stages. Kuwait lost three more goals in the fourth away match against Oman as its defense concentration collapsed rapidly after conceding the first goal at the 17th minute in the first half. If Korea’s strong strikers, led by main gun Son Heung-min (32) of Tottenham Hotspur and playmaker Lee Kang-in (23) of Paris Saint-Germain, are capable of aiming a landslide victory. 안전놀이터
Of course, we must not let our guard down. Coach Juan Antonio Fitch of Spain, who was appointed as Kuwait’s coach after the second qualifying round, displayed “sili football” based on his strong teamwork except for the match against Oman in the four final qualifying matches. Notably, the team drew 1-1 and 0-0 against Middle Eastern dark horses Jordan and Iraq, respectively, showing off easy performance. Youssef Nasser, who was in charge of all three of the goals his team scored in the final qualifying round, is also on alert. If Korea fails to win quickly, it may face challenges.