Korea inch closer to Qatar with 1-0 win over Lebanon

Cho Gue-sung, center, celebrates after scoring a goal against Lebanon in a World Cup qualifier at Saida Municipal Stadium in Sidon, Lebanon on Thursday. [YONHAP]

Korea beat Lebanon 1-0 in a scrappy game at Saida Municipal Stadium in Sidon, Lebanon on Thursday, moving one step closer to a ticket to the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Korea dominated the game from kick off, but converting once again proved to be a problem for the Taeguk Warriors.

As in earlier qualifiers, Korea had the ball the majority of the time, but every attack petered out en route to the goal. Despite being on the offensive almost constantly, Korea only managed 13 shots, with just five on target.

The absence of Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan, both out with injuries, may have had something to do with that, as the Premier League pair were responsible for four of Korea’s eight goals in the round prior to Thursday’s game.

But despite their absence, Korea still had plenty of fire power in the squad, with European stars like Hwang Ui-jo, Lee Jae-sung and Hwang In-beom more than capable of holding their own.

It wasn’t until injury time in the first half that Korea were finally able to string something together, with Hwang Ui-jo picking off Cho Gue-sung with a perfect cross that the Gimcheon Sangmu striker knocked home with a single touch for his second senior squad goal.

Despite multiple chances, Korea were unable to get anything across in the second half. Lebanon came perilously close to tying things up when a well-placed shot clanged off the post, but the ball rebounded away from the goal. With neither team able to get anything across, the game ended with the score at 1-0.

It was a very physical game, with a combined 29 fouls and three cards. Korea was called out for 17 fouls, but a number of incidents targeting Korean players appeared to be overlooked, prompting the normally stoic head coach Paulo Bento to call out the referee near the end of the second half.

But although Bento may have felt that justice was not always served, Korea walked away from the game with an all-important three points to rise to the top of Group A with a game in hand over Iran.

Korea currently has 17 points with seven matches played, just above Iran with 16 points in six matches as of press time. The United Arab Emirates trail in third place with six points. With the top two teams advancing straight to the 2022 Qatar World Cup, it would take a spectacular collapse over the remaining three games for Korea to miss out on a spot.

Korea will continue the current batch of World Cup qualifiers with a game against Syria at Al-Rashid Stadium at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, or at 11 p.m. in Korea.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]