Ahead of the match against Oman, national soccer team coach Hong Myung-bo once again asked fans to cheer for the Taegeuk Warriors.
The criticism means that players who sweat on the field will not lose their energy, saying they will receive all of them.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, arrived at Muscat International Airport in Oman on the 7th (Korean time). Since there was no direct flight, it arrived after a long journey of 15 hours via Qatar. Twenty-six Taegeuk Warriors, including Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Lee Kang-in (PSG), left Incheon International Airport late at night on the 6th.
Hong Myung-bo drew 0-0 with an unexpected poor performance in the first Group B match against Palestine in the third Asian qualifying round for the North-China World Cup held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 5th. South Korea, ranked 23rd in the FIFA rankings, was criticized for being only a shock draw in the first A match in history against 96th-ranked Palestine due to its lack of tactics and poor goal-making ability.
As soon as the ending whistle sounded, the Seoul World Cup Stadium was full of boos. As a result, the victory over Oman is more urgent than ever.
The day of showdown is approaching. Team Korea will have an away match against Oman in Group B of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup at Sultan Qaboos Stadium in Muscat, the capital of Oman, at 11 p.m. on Saturday.
In the expressions of the players who entered the airport’s arrival hall, their determination was more pronounced than their tiredness of long-distance travel.
While “Bull” Hwang Hee-chan was the first to pass the immigration checkpoint, goalkeepers Song Bum-keun and Lee Jae-sung also appeared. Yang Min-hyuk, “High School Supernova,” followed. Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan and Kim Min-jae appeared in turn. Coach Hong also headed to where the team bus was located with the coaching staff. Cho Hyun-woo, who protects the back door of the national team, was the last to complete the immigration process.
About 20 Korean residents, including Korean Ambassador Kim Ki-joo and Chairman Kim Seung-il of the Association of Oman, welcomed the national team with bouquets of flowers at the arrival hall. Korean fans shouted for an autograph when Kim Min-jae, a defender playing for Bayern Munich, Germany, passed by. Kim turned his foot with an embarrassing expression as he was about to pass by, and accepted the request with a big smile.
After arriving at the accommodation quickly, the national team began local adaptation training at Alshiv Stadium at 6 p.m. local time on the 7th and 11 p.m. Korean time.
Coach Hong met with domestic reporters earlier and revealed how he would prepare for the upcoming battle against Oman while reviving the last Palestinian match.
To Hong, Oman is a place that he has fond memories of. In February 2012, when he was the coach of the U-23 national team, he defeated Oman’s U-23 team 3-0 and confirmed his qualification for the 2012 London Olympics. At the Alsiv Stadium, he won the title.
Coach Hong, who faced the reporters, smiled after recalling his old memories, saying, “The country of arrogance is a strange place, but it’s not bad because it was a place where there was good energy.”
This is a match that must be won. Team Korea, which had a 0-0 draw with Palestine in the first match, will have to face pressure if it fails to win in this away match against Oman.
The national team will face Iraq at home after visiting Jordan in October. In November, two consecutive away games in the Middle East are waiting for Kuwait and Palestine. Since most of the matches are away until the match against Palestine in November, which will turn the halfway point, it is important to secure as many points as possible here. Only then can the team be confirmed to advance to the finals in the 7th to 10th games next year. Korea will play three of the last four games at home. 안전놀이터
Both Korea and Oman need to win. If Korea fails to win in the match against Oman, the foundation of Hong Myung-bo, who took the helm amid major controversy, will likely be severely shaken. In the third preliminary round in Group B, Korea was part of a group with five Middle Eastern countries, including Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait, in addition to Oman and Palestine. As Iraq and Jordan are considered stronger opponents, if they fail to win against Oman, their advance to the finals will inevitably turn on a red light.