3rd Qualifying Round 2 Consecutive Wins... 7 Points with 2 Wins and 1 Draw
Facing Iraq at Home on the 15th
South Korea defeated Jordan and took the lead in Group B of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asian third qualifying round.
The football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, won 2-0 against Jordan in their third match of the third qualifying round held at the Amman International Stadium in Jordan on the 10th (local time), thanks to consecutive goals by Lee Jae-sung in the 38th minute of the first half and Oh Hyun-kyu in the 23rd minute of the second half.
South Korea secured 7 points with 2 wins and 1 draw, overtaking Jordan to lead Group B. Before this match, both South Korea and Jordan had recorded 1 win and 1 draw each, with Jordan leading Group B due to a higher number of goals scored.
Lee Jae-sung (No. 10) scored the opening and decisive goal with a header during the match against Jordan in the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asia third qualifying round held at Amman International Stadium, Jordan, on the 10th (local time). [Photo by Yonhap News]
With captain Son Heung-min sidelined due to injury, Kim Min-jae wore the captain's armband and played in the match. Joo Min-kyu, Lee Kang-in, and Hwang Hee-chan were responsible for the front line, while Lee Jae-sung, Hwang In-beom, and Park Yong-woo were positioned in midfield. In defense, Kim Min-jae and Cho Yu-min took the center, with Seol Young-woo and Lee Myung-jae covering the left and right flanks respectively.
South Korea recorded their first shot in the 5th minute of the first half through Joo Min-kyu. In the 6th minute, a powerful long-range shot by the opposing striker following a cutback hit the Korean goalpost and bounced out, creating a tense moment. However, the ball had already crossed the goal line during the cutback.
After surviving the tense moment, Lee Myung-jae made a bold breakthrough from the left, drawing a foul from the opponent and earning a free kick opportunity, which shifted the momentum. South Korea began to press the opponent by attacking the left and right flanks and pushing up the defensive line.
Jordan responded with rough physical play. In the 10th minute of the first half, Hwang Hee-chan, attempting a breakthrough, twisted his ankle due to a rough tackle and fell to the ground. At the 20th minute, Hwang Hee-chan again twisted his ankle from another rough tackle and was eventually substituted by Eom Ji-sung. In the 34th minute, Hwang In-beom was knocked down by a rough back tackle while attempting a counterattack after intercepting a pass in midfield.
Lee Kang-in directly shot from the free kick opportunity earned by Hwang In-beom, marking South Korea's first shot on target. Lee Kang-in aimed at the goal with his left foot but was stopped by the opposing goalkeeper.
In the following attack, the long-awaited first goal came. Lee Myung-jae sent a long ball from outside the left side of the opponent's penalty box to the opposite side, and Seol Young-woo, who received the ball on the right, dribbled past one defender and delivered a cross. Lee Jae-sung ran in and connected with an accurate header, sending the ball into the upper right corner of the opponent's goal, leaving the goalkeeper helpless.
After scoring the opening goal and gaining confidence, the team finished the first half steadily. South Korea dominated Jordan with 75.8% possession in the first half. South Korea recorded 5 shots and 2 shots on target, while Jordan had only one shot without any on target.
Jordan raised their defensive line immediately after the start of the second half, showing their determination to score an equalizer. Around the 13th minute, although it did not result in a goal, Oh Hyun-kyu’s powerful long-range shot began to control the flow of the game. Oh Hyun-kyu eventually scored an additional goal 10 minutes later.
Oh Hyun-kyu is running toward the Korean community after scoring the second goal in Jordan's match at the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asia third qualifying round held at Amman International Stadium in Amman, Jordan, on the 10th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News
Park Yong-woo intercepted a pass from the opponent and passed the ball through Lee Jae-sung and Bae Jun-ho to Oh Hyun-kyu. Oh Hyun-kyu dribbled into the penalty box, faked out the defender with a feint, and scored the additional goal with his right foot. It was Oh Hyun-kyu’s first goal in an A-match.
In the 34th minute of the second half, Bae Jun-ho broke through the opponent’s defense inside the penalty box and took a powerful right-footed shot, but the opposing goalkeeper saved it. South Korea finished the match without major crises.
The Hong Myung-bo-led team will play their fourth match of the third qualifying round against Iraq at Yongin Mir Stadium at 8 p.m. Korean time on the 15th.
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