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Lee Kang-in, Paik Seung-ho, Jung Seung-hyun out for World Cup qualifier against Jordan

Published: 23 Mar. 2025, 16:00 Updated: 24 Mar. 2025, 15:16

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

Korea's Lee Kang-in leaves the pitch after sustaining an injury during the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Oman at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi, on March 20. [NEWS1]

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in, Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung-ho and Al-Wasl defender Jung Seung-hyun have left Korea’s 2026 World Cup qualifier camp ahead of a fixture against Jordan on Tuesday after sustaining injuries.

Lee and Paik picked up injuries during a qualifier against Oman on Thursday, while Jung did so during training before the Oman game.

A source with the Korean national team told Yonhap News Agency on Saturday that the three players need about two weeks to recover and will first undergo treatment in Korea before returning to their respective clubs.

Korea boss Hong Myung-bo, however, will not call up replacements for the three for the Jordan qualifier scheduled at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi.

The absence of Lee and Paik leaves Hong to reshuffle his midfielder lineup, which did not feature Hwang In-beom in the Oman game, as he had just recovered from injury. Hwang’s availability for the Jordan qualifier was still unclear as of press time Sunday.

Paik did not have much impact on Thursday’s game, failing to make accurate passes and imposing little presence on defense. But it was a different story for Lee, who made a decisive through-ball for Hwang Hee-chan to open the scoring.

No other midfielder could unlock the Omani defense before Lee came on. When Lee also left the pitch after sustaining an injury, the midfield lacked effective passes to boost the team’s attack.

Won Du-jae is a replacement option that can occupy a central midfielder role alongside defensive midfielder Park Yong-woo in Hong’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.

Korea must retain its frontrunner position in Group B or finish in the top two to instantly qualify for the country’s 11th successive World Cup. The Taeguk Warriors have collected 15 points — three points clear of second-place Jordan — from their past seven qualifiers in the third qualifying round.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]