Lee Kang-in (24, PSG) and Baek Seung-ho (28, Birmingham City) are absent. An emergency has arisen for Hong Myung-bo's team.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo (56), will face Jordan in the 8th match of Group B in the 3rd round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to be held on the 25th at Suwon World Cup Stadium.

South Korea drew 1-1 against Oman in a lackluster game on the 20th. Hwang Hee-chan scored the opening goal with Lee Kang-in's help, but they couldn't maintain it. South Korea (15 points) failed to secure their spot in the World Cup finals with two wins at home.

Injuries have also emerged. Kim Min-jae has already dropped out due to a hamstring injury. Jung Seung-hyun has also injured his thigh. To make matters worse, Lee Kang-in and Baek Seung-ho got injured during the match against Oman. In the 38th minute of the first half, Baek Seung-ho was replaced due to a left hamstring injury. Lee Kang-in, who came in as a substitute, suffered an ankle injury in the 34th minute of the second half.

Ultimately, the three players were released from the team on the 22nd. Coach Hong Myung-bo noted, "Lee Kang-in's injury is not as serious as expected. He is an important player for his club, so we decided to release him. The remaining 25 players will prepare for the match against Jordan. There will be no call-ups for substitutes."

South Korea operated in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Oman. The front line featured Ahn Jung-hwan as the striker, while Son Heung-min, Lee Jae-sung, and Hwang Hee-chan played just behind him. The midfield included Park Yong-woo and Baek Seung-ho, with Lee Tae-seok, Kwon Kyung-won, Jo Yu-min, and Seol Young-woo in defense. The goalkeeper was Jo Hyun-woo.

South Korea had 63% possession and led in shots with 11-5. The number of shots on target was nearly identical at 3-2. While South Korea aggressively attacked, they could not effectively deal with the opponent's packed defense.

An unexpected situation arose when Baek Seung-ho got injured in the 38th minute of the first half. Lee Kang-in's sudden entry changed the dynamics of the game. Lee Kang-in, who can break through pressing defense and deliver passes forward, invigorated the attack. Ultimately, Lee Kang-in's killer pass in the 41st minute led to Hwang Hee-chan's opening goal.

The problem is that Lee Kang-in got injured in the 40th minute of the second half, meaning he cannot play against Jordan. With Baek Seung-ho also absent, there are no players to synchronize with Park Yong-woo in the midfield. Coach Hong Myung-bo faces a situation where he needs to adjust the formation or use new players.

Hwang In-beom, who recently returned from injury, was excluded from the roster for the Oman game. It seems unlikely that Hwang In-beom will play against Jordan. Coach Hong Myung-bo stated, "Hwang In-beom has returned. We are communicating effectively with the club. There was a timeframe that the club wanted. We are in discussion about that." Even if Hwang In-beom plays, he is not at 100% condition. The club is very sensitive about Hwang In-beom's participation.

There are no significant issues in the second line. The bench has good resources, including Yang Min-hyuk, Yang Hyun-jun, and Bae Jun-ho. The problem is the lack of a midfielder to provide passes to these players.

Coach Hong Myung-bo stated, "Since we gathered to play after four months for the game against Oman, our performance was not very good. In the remaining time, I will ensure the players are in good condition. Oman played with a 4-5 defense. Jordan will adopt a similar approach. We must improve our organization further," but he could only provide such general comments.

There seems to be no player who can provide creative forward passes in the team without Hwang In-beom and Lee Kang-in. Can the stifled attack from the Oman game improve against Jordan?

Coach Hong noted, "Both key defenders have been absent for some time. Two new players have arrived. After just two days of training, it's not easy to show our previous build-up capabilities. However, we must work harder. The movements from the front were not very good in the last game. I will prepare well in the remaining time."

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