Bae Seung-ho (Birmingham), who became a national representative at the English third division, shed tears.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo (56), faced Oman in their 7th match of Group B in the third round of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asian qualifiers at Goyang Stadium on the evening of the 20th and drew 1-1.

With this, South Korea maintained its position at the top of Group B with 15 points (4 wins, 3 draws).

It was a disappointing result. If South Korea had secured 3 points in this match against Oman and won against Jordan on the 25th, it could have confirmed its qualification for the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time in June, regardless of 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 started with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Joomin Kyu positioned himself at the front, with Son Heung-min, Lee Jae-sung, and Hwang Hee-chan in the offensive second line. Bae Seung-ho and Park Yong-woo protected the back four, while Lee Tae-seok, Kwon Kyung-won, Jo Yoo-min, and Seol Young-woo made up the defensive line. Jo Hyun-woo guarded the goal.

Oman also used a 4-2-3-1 formation. Issam Al Sabhi aimed for a score, while Abdul Al Massifri, Ali Al Busaidi, and Yamil Al Yahmadi positioned themselves in the offensive second line. Abdullah Fawaz and Said Al Alawi filled in the midfield, with Al Rushaidi, Khalid Al Buraiki, Ahmed Al Kamishi, and Abdullah Al Harthi forming the back four. The goalkeeper's gloves were worn by Ibrahim Al Mukainy.

In the 41st minute of the first half, Hwang Hee-chan received a pass from Lee Kang-in, who was substituted in, and scored the opening goal with a composed shot, taking a 1-0 lead. However, in the 35th minute of the second half, they allowed Al Busaidi to score an equalizer, leveling the game.

South Korea continued to aim for a goal even during the additional time of the second half, but the match ended in a 1-1 draw without any additional scores. As a result of this match outcome, even if South Korea wins against Jordan on the 25th, they will not be able to confirm their qualification for the finals until the June A match schedule.

There were also injury setbacks during the match. Bae 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 complained of pain and had to be carried off. South Korea utilized their substitution cards until the end of the second half in hopes of victory, but they had to accept a disappointing result without a decisive score.

After the match, Bae Seung-ho met with reporters and described his injury status, saying, "I felt something in my hamstring. It was slightly noticeable around the middle of the first half. Still, I felt okay to keep running and passing, but as I continued to play, it felt more pronounced. That's why I had to be substituted."

Is it possible for him to play in the next match? Bae Seung-ho (28, Birmingham) said, "I think I need to go to the hospital tomorrow for confirmation. It’s hard to say for sure."

He said, "The opponent dropped back with a five-back formation for safety and prepared for many counterattacks. I thought there wouldn't be an easy match, and the preparations that I had weren't carried out smoothly either. I think we need to analyze what we did well to carry that into the next match, and reflect on areas where we fell short to prepare better."

What was the condition of the turf at Goyang Stadium? Bae Seung-ho explained, "I don't know if you saw, but the turf lifted when we planted ourselves, and it was hard when moving. I've heard it's the best stadium in Korea. It feels like an excuse, but in many ways, it is disappointing. I don't want to make that an excuse. If managed well, players can show good performance too, and we can also prevent injuries. I felt a bit disappointed in that regard."

He added, "I started to feel a strain in my muscles little by little. It's hard to say if it's due to the turf... I'm not sure."

Following Bae Seung-ho, Lee Kang-in fell due to injury, and with Hwang In-beom's condition also not good, the national team is facing an emergency. In response, Bae Seung-ho expressed trust in his teammates, saying, "I believe the players who have come to the national team are all capable of filling in for each other, no matter who is missing. I think those players will do well, and I believe the players are ready."

[OSEN]