“Temporary captain” Kim Min-jae (28, Bayern Munich) vowed a scoreless defense ahead of the match against Iraq, which will be a watershed in advancing to the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup finals.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will play the fourth match of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North-China World Cup against Iraq at 8 p.m. on the 15th at Yongin Mir Stadium.
South Korea, which played three games in Group B, tied Iraq (7 points, goal difference +2) with 2 wins and 1 draw (7 points, goal difference + 4), but is at the top of the group by leading in goal difference.
While the first and second-place teams in the third qualifying round secure direct tickets to the North-China-US World Cup, Hong Myung-bo’s victory in the match against Iraq can create an atmosphere that solidifies the lead.
Iraq (55th) has a lower FIFA ranking than Korea (23rd), but it is considered a formidable opponent as it has scored no points in the third qualifying round.
In addition, Korea must defend itself against Ayman Hussein (Al-Kor), Iraq’s key striker. The mission to protect Hong is to penetrate Iraq’s defense, which has allowed no runs, and to defend itself well against attacks centered on Hussein.
Hussain, who is tall at 189 centimeters, has scored six goals in five recent qualifying matches, including the second qualifying round. He is evaluated as outstanding in both ball guard and goal-scoring ability. At the Qatar Asian Cup early this year, he scored six goals in just four matches, ranking second in overall goal tally. He is an absolute ace who gave Iraq a 2-1 victory by scoring two goals in matches against Japan.
Hussein was initially expected to miss the game due to a rib injury, but he recovered quickly and showed off his robustness by scoring the winning goal in the match against Palestine (Iraq 1-0 win) on the 11th.
Center back Kim Min-jae attended a press conference on the eve of the match (14th) and said of Hussein, “He is a striker who has strength in provision. We need to be especially careful when it comes to side crosses and second balls.”
“I will tell the less experienced players (with Hussein) to faithfully fulfill their roles and respond strongly when necessary. I will defend them well,” he said.
While how well to stop Hussein is the key to the South Korean defense, Kim Min-jae is expected to form a center back combination with Cho Yoo-min (Sharja), a “best friend of the same age born in 1996.
Last month, Kim Young-kwon (Ulsan HD) and Jung Seung-hyun (Alwaseul) worked with Kim Min-jae in the first game against Palestine and in the second game against Oman, but it was difficult for both to get a passing score.
In the third game against Jordan, Cho Yoo-min took the center back position, leading to a scoreless victory with Kim Min-jae by banking on his excellent athletic ability and wide range of activities. He has rapidly emerged as a strong candidate to take the position of partner of Kim Min-jae, the Muju Communist Party. 스포츠토토
Cho Yoo-min is a resource that has already been recognized by the national team to the extent that he is on the final list of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Location selection is good, and above all, “Hap” with Kim Min-jae is good when covering the back space.
“I have to win at home. I will communicate well with the players to show good performance,” Kim said.