Led by trophy-winning stars, Korea looking to grab World Cup berth in penultimate qualifying match

Both of the following statements are true. In the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Korea have not played particularly well, having settled for uninspiring draws against underdogs. They are still leading Group B with an undefeated record, which has put them a point away from punching their ticket to the big tournament. And the Taegeuk Warriors will look to do just that this week when they visit Iraq for their second-to-last match of the ongoing phase. The match between 23rd-ranked Korea and 59th-ranked Iraq will kick off at Basra International Stadium in Basra, southern Iraq, at 9:15 p.m. Thursday (3:15 a.m. Friday, South Korean time). Coached by Hong Myung-bo, Korea are sitting atop Group B with 16 points from four wins and four draws, three points ahead of Jordan with two matches to go. Iraq are in third place with 12 points. The top two teams from each of the three groups at the conclusion of the third round will grab their World Cup spots. The third- and fourth-place teams from those three groups will move on to play in the fourth round. Korea have plWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times