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Coach Hong Myung-bo vows to try to take team Korea to World Cup

Published: 24 Mar. 2025, 19:23

Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo speaks during a press conference ahead of a World Cup qualifying match against Jordan at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on March 24. [YONHAP]

With Korea having been hit with multiple wildfires in the southeastern region in recent days, Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the men's national football team, said Monday he will try to deliver a win for the country in an upcoming World Cup qualifying match.

Korea will face Jordan in the countries' eighth Group B match in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualification at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul.

Any national team football match is an appointment viewing in Korea, with fans of the game — both casual and passionate — riding the emotional roller coaster along with the players on the pitch. A victory by Korea on Tuesday, however insignificant it may seem in the grand scheme of things, could still galvanize the reeling country.

“We're dealing with a serious national disaster and I hope these fires will be put out as quickly as possible,” Hong said at the onset of his prematch press conference at Suwon World Cup Stadium. “We will try to win the match tomorrow and help the people in whatever small ways we can.”

On paper, Korea, No. 23 in the FIFA rankings, should be favored over 64th-ranked Jordan. However, South Korea are coming off a lackluster 1-1 draw against 80th-ranked Oman last Thursday, a performance that Hong dubbed his team's worst so far in the third round. Jordan defeated Palestine 3-1 the same day and now sit just three points behind Korea for the top spot in Group B at 12. A loss Tuesday will knock Korea out of first place.

Hong voiced confidence that, after a couple of days to rest, recover and train, his players should be sharper Tuesday than they had been last week.

“In all aspects, I expect our players to be better than the previous match,” Hong added. “Some of the players have told me they are feeling much better physically than last week.”

Korea defeated Jordan 2-0 in their previous meeting in October 2024, eight months after losing to Jordan by the same score in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in Qatar.

In that Asian Cup match, Mousa Al-Tamari and Yazan Al-Naimat had a goal apiece for Jordan. In the World Cup qualifying match in October, Al-Tamari was out with an ankle injury and Al-Naimat only played the second half while dealing with a rib injury. Both players are back healthy.

Hong said he was particularly wary of Al-Tamari.

“We all recognize that he is an extremely dangerous player,” the coach said. “How well we can contain him will be a key in tomorrow's match.”

On the other hand, Korea will be without a few injured players, including Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in, who hurt his left ankle during the Oman match.

Along with Lee, Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung-ho and Al-Wasl defender Jung Seung-hyun, who were hurt during and before Thursday's game, were all dropped from the national team on Saturday and were not replaced.

Hong said he wants to strike the balance between giving new faces a chance to play and making sure the overall team structure isn't disrupted.

Korea generated virtually nothing against Oman for a big chunk of the match, struggling to find space in the face of their crowded defense. Hong said there are ways to break through against such defenses, though it will take some time for the team to be completely comfortable with them.

“We can't predict whether Jordan will play a similar type of defense or not,” Hong said. “We just have to be aware of the situation at any given moment of the match and have to be smart about how we respond.”

Yonhap