Ultimately, the defensive gap was clearly visible.
The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo (56), faced Oman in the 7th match of Group B in the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Goyang Stadium on the afternoon of the 20th at 8 p.m. After Hwang Hee-chan completed the opening goal with an incredible touch from Lee Kang-in's sharp pass, they could not maintain the lead and ended in a 1-1 draw.
As a result, South Korea secured 15 points (4 wins, 3 draws) and maintained the top position in Group B. It is a disappointing outcome. If South Korea had earned 3 points from this match against Oman and won against Jordan on the 25th, they could have early confirmed their qualification for the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time in June, regardless of the matches against Iraq and Kuwait, but due to this match result, they now have to wait until the June A matches.
In this match, South Korea used a 4-2-3-1 formation. Jumin-kyu occupied the front line, while Son Heung-min, Lee Jae-sung, and Hwang Hee-chan stood on the attacking second line. Baek Seung-ho and Park Yong-woo protected the back four, with Lee Tae-seok, Kwon Kyung-won, Jo Yu-min, and Seol Young-woo forming the defensive line. Jo Hyun-woo guarded the goal.
Oman also employed a 4-2-3-1 formation. Issam Al Sabhi aimed to score, and Abdul Al Masifri, Ali Al Busaidi, and Yamil Al Yahmadi stood on the attacking second line. Abdullah Fawaz and Said Al Alawi occupied the midfield, while Al Rushaydi, Khalid Al Bruiki, Ahmed Al Kamishi, and Abdullah Al Harthi formed the back four. The gloves of the goalkeeper were donned by Ibrahim Al Mukhaini.
In this match, South Korea had Kwon Kyung-won and Jo Yu-min as the center-back combination. In the first half, the absence of Kim Min-jae was not prominently felt. South Korea aggressively pressed the opponent from the early part of the first half by pushing the line high. Although the defensive space behind South Korea naturally widened, they quickly regained possession and did not easily allow any opportunities.
Of course, they conceded a counterattack once in the first half, but fortunately it did not lead to a goal. In the 12th minute of the second half, during a sharp cross from the opponent into the box, Kwon Kyung-won cleared it with his head, safely navigating the crisis. However, the absence of Kim Min-jae became apparent during the goal conceded.
During the opponent's quick counterattack, they scored as Kim Min-jae was unable to stop it. The concerns before the match about the instability of the South Korean defense without Kim Min-jae were evidently realized. That day, Oman took 3 shots, but only 2 of those were on target, indicating that the South Korean defense did not effectively intervene. Attention will be focused on whether a defensive combination can be found to replace Kim Min-jae in the upcoming matches.
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