"It was the worst match in the final qualifiers. There were difficulties due to the new combination."

The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, played to a 1-1 draw against Oman in the 7th match of Group B in the 3rd round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Goyang Sports Complex on the evening of the 20th.

As a result, South Korea maintained the top position in Group B with 15 points (4 wins, 3 draws).

It's a disappointing result. If South Korea had secured 3 points against Oman and won the match against Jordan on the 25th, they could have confirmed their qualification for the World Cup finals early, regardless of the matches against Iraq and Kuwait in June. However, due to this match result, they now have to wait until the June A match.

In this match, South Korea started with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Joo Min-kyu took the forefront, while Son Heung-min, Lee Jae-sung, and Hwang Hee-chan stood in the attacking midfield. Baek Seung-ho and Park Yong-woo protected the back four, with Lee Tae-seok, Kwon Kyung-won, Jo Yoo-min, and Seol Young-woo forming the defensive line. Jo Hyun-woo was in goal.

Oman also deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation. Issam Al Sabhi aimed to score, and Abdul Al Masfari, Ali Al Busaidi, and Yamil Al Yahmadi stood in the attacking midfield. Abdullah Farwas and Said Al Alawi filled the midfield, while Al Rashaidi, Khaled Al Braiki, Ahmed Al Kamishi, and Abdullah Al Harthi formed the back four. Ibrahim Al Mukaini was in goal.

In the 41st minute of the first half, Hwang Hee-chan scored the opening goal with a calm shot after receiving a pass from Lee Kang-in, putting South Korea ahead 1-0. However, they allowed an equalizer to Al Busaidi in the 35th minute of the second half, leveling the score.

South Korea continued to seek goals until the end of stoppage time in the second half, but the match ended in a 1-1 draw without further goals. Consequently, even if South Korea wins against Jordan on the 25th, they will not be able to secure their qualification for the finals until the June A match.

There were also injury setbacks during the match. Baek Seung-ho was substituted due to injury in the 38th minute of the first half, and in the 38th minute of the second half, Lee Kang-in was carried off due to pain. South Korea utilized their substitutions in the final moments in an effort to secure a win, but they had to accept a disappointing result without a decisive goal.

After the match, head coach Hong Myung-bo said, "It was the worst match in the final qualifiers. There were difficulties due to the new combination. It was difficult from the first half. Fortunately, we scored in the first half, and the start of the second half was good. However, we felt like we were not winning despite being ahead because we were giving too easy balls to the opponent. Our line dropped a bit, and even though we didn't allow many chances, we conceded a goal. It's unfortunate, but there are still games left. There are injured players. We will see how we can approach the next game."

Lee Kang-in injured his left ankle. What is the degree of the injury? Head coach Hong Myung-bo noted, "There is an injury to the ankle. A more precise assessment will be made after going to the hospital tomorrow (21st). He practiced for a day after arriving in Korea and played in the match. Because of Baek Seung-ho's injury, his playing time was earlier than planned. Lee Kang-in has strengths and weaknesses in both attack and defense, so it was necessary to bring him in during an unstable offense. In fact, he created chances. So in terms of play itself, it's positive. However, we need to monitor the injury further."

The absence of Kim Min-jae and the poor condition of Hwang In-beom led to unsatisfactory results. Head coach Hong Myung-bo remarked, "There was a plan to play without these two players this time. If it had been an undue risk, Hwang In-beom could have participated. I thought player protection was necessary in the first match. In the second match, I will assess the situation to decide on participation. When a key player who has been stabilizing the team is absent, it can be unsettling. I didn't feel that the defense was 'insecure' or had 'problems.' I don't think there was a significant issue with the organization of defenders like Kwon Kyung-won, Jo Yoo-min, and Lee Tae-seok."

Regarding the condition of the pitch at Goyang Sports Complex, coach Hong stated, "The turf situation was the same for both teams."

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