Korea 1-0 Iceland in final match before Qatar World Cup

Football

Published: 11 Nov. 2022, 22:01

Korea 1-0 Iceland in final match before Qatar World Cup

Song Min-kyu, right, celebrates after scoring in a friendly against Iceland at Hwaseong Stadium in Hwagseong, Gyeonggi on Friday. [YONHAP]

A stripped back Korean national team beat Iceland 1-0 on Friday in the final tune-up match before the 2022 Qatar World Cup kicks off in less than two weeks.

Song Min-kyu provided the sole goal at Hwaseong Stadium in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, heading home a well-placed cross from Cho Gue-sung in the 33rd minute.

Although it was a low-scoring affair, the Asia-based Taeguk Warriors available to play on Friday still put on a fairly good offensive performance, showing plenty of moments of individual brilliance that ought to give head coach Paulo Bento plenty to think about before he announces his World Cup squad on Saturday.

Korea played the final pre-World Cup friendly without any of the players based in Europe, who all still have club commitments.

Song Min-kyu heads in Korea's sole goal in a friendly against Iceland at Hwaseong Stadium in Hwagseong, Gyeonggi on Friday. [YONHAP]

That took away regular starters Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, Kim Min-jae, Lee Jae-sung, Hwang In-beom and Hwang Ui-jo, as well as young stars Jeong Woo-yeong and Lee Kang-in, most, if not all, of whom are highly likely to make the Korean squad for Qatar.

Familiar faces that available included Qatar-based veteran midfielder Jung Woo-young, Saudi Arabia-based veteran goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu and K League stars like Song, Cho, Kwon Chang-hoon, Paik Seung-ho, Hong Chul and Kim Young-gwon, who took the captain's armband in Son's absense.

Bento is expected to announce his 24-man roster for the Qatar World Cup at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Korea will play their first game against Uruguay on Nov. 24.

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