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Taeguk Warriors aim to seal World Cup berth with qualifier against Iraq on Thursday

Published: 04 Jun. 2025, 12:59 Updated: 04 Jun. 2025, 19:40

PAIK JI-HWAN
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The Korea national team trains at Al-Fayhaa Stadium in Iraq on June 3. [KFA]

Korea will face Iraq in their penultimate 2026 World Cup qualifier at Basra International Stadium in Barsa, Iraq, on Thursday for a chance to qualify for their 11th consecutive World Cup.

The Taeguk Warriors, led by manager Hong Myung-bo, need to capture just one point from Thursday’s fixture to secure a berth in the World Cup, as Korea is three points clear at the top of Group B and four points above No. 3 Iraq with two qualifiers left for both sides as of Wednesday.

Korea heads to Thursday’s match on the back of a 3-2 win over Iraq in the third qualifying round in October of last year.

Hong’s squad features regular picks based in Europe such as Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain and Lee Jae-sung of Mainz, although regular captain Son’s availability remains unclear due to a foot injury.

Hong said on Monday that he will “not push his captain too hard” in the upcoming qualifiers.

Son Heung-min looks on during Korean national team training at Al-Fayhaa Stadium in Iraq on June 3. [KFA]

Hwang or Lee can execute Son’s usual role on the left flank, as the two have played on both flanks, but they both joined the national team after seeing little playing time in Europe.

Hwang only clocked up 21 minutes in three matches from April to May across all competitions, during which he made zero goal contributions, while Lee did not play a single game after his last appearance with PSG on May 10.

But the squad has Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors winger Jeon Jin-woo, who received his first call-up as the leading scorer in the ongoing 2025 K League 1 campaign. He has racked up 11 goals in 17 league fixtures as of Wednesday.

He can also play as a No. 10, although Hong has preferred Lee Jae-sung in his 4-2-3-1 formation since the start of the third qualifying round.

KRC Genk forward Oh Hyeon-gyu and FC Machida Zelvia forward Oh Se-hun are back in the squad after both scored a few goals in the past qualifiers, but Oh Hyeon-gyu has not recorded a goal for his team since March and Oh Se-hun’s last goal — also his only goal of the ongoing 2025 J1 League season — was on April 29.

The national team will also miss Bayern Munich center-back Kim Min-jae, who did not receive a call-up due to injury.

His absence has left the squad with visible vulnerabilities multiple times, as he plays a pivotal role in recovering the ball and transitioning from defense to attack.

Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, center, vies for the ball during a Bundesliga match against SC Freiburg in Freiburg, Germany, on Jan. 25. [AFP/YONHAP]

But the defense lineup includes Red Star Belgrade fullback Seol Young-woo, who demonstrated his attacking prowess in Serbia in the 2024-25 season, during which he racked up six goals and eight assists across 43 appearances.

“I made more goal contributions in my first season in Europe than I did back in the K League for some reason. I have recorded some assists for the national team, but not goals,” Seol said during an interview with the Korea Football Association media team on Tuesday. “Since I can attack, it would be great if I could score and win."

Seol Yeong-woo speaks on the sidelines of Korean national team training at Al-Fayhaa Stadium in Iraq on June 3. [KFA]

Seol has been a national team regular pick since October of last year, having recorded two assists in the past six qualifiers.

Korea has been on an unbeaten streak in their past eight qualifiers, from which the country has secured four wins and four draws, but the squad has not secured a win since a 3-1 victory over Kuwait last November.

One point against Iraq is all Korea needs, but a draw would mark their fourth straight time doing so after three 1-1 draws against Palestine, Jordan and Oman.

“Our players think that now is the time to deliver results,” Seol said. “We will do our best to bring results.”

Korea will wrap up the qualifier schedule with their final match against Kuwait at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on June 10, with the top two teams from the six-team group directly advancing to the World Cup.

The national team will also travel to the United States to play two friendlies against the host and Mexico in September to tuneup ahead of the World Cup.

The qualifier against Iraq will kick off at 9:15 p.m. on Thursday, or 3:15 a.m. on Friday in Korea.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]