Ahead of the match against Oman, national soccer team coach Hong Myung-bo once again asked fans to cheer for the Taegeuk Warriors.
The criticism means that players who sweat on the field will not lose their energy, saying they will receive all of them.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, arrived at Muscat International Airport in Oman on the 7th (Korean time). Since there was no direct flight, it arrived after a long journey of 15 hours via Qatar. Twenty-six Taegeuk Warriors, including Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Lee Kang-in (PSG), left Incheon International Airport late at night on the 6th.
Hong Myung-bo drew 0-0 with an unexpected poor performance in the first Group B match against Palestine in the third Asian qualifying round for the North-China World Cup held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 5th. South Korea, ranked 23rd in the FIFA rankings, was criticized for being only a shock draw in the first A match in history against 96th-ranked Palestine due to its lack of tactics and poor goal-making ability.
As soon as the ending whistle sounded, the Seoul World Cup Stadium was full of boos. As a result, the victory over Oman is more urgent than ever.
The day of showdown is approaching. Team Korea will have an away match against Oman in Group B of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup at Sultan Qaboos Stadium in Muscat, the capital of Oman, at 11 p.m. on Saturday.
In the expressions of the players who entered the airport’s arrival hall, their determination was more pronounced than their tiredness of long-distance travel.
While “Bull” Hwang Hee-chan was the first to pass the immigration checkpoint, goalkeepers Song Bum-keun and Lee Jae-sung also appeared. Yang Min-hyuk, “High School Supernova,” followed. Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan and Kim Min-jae appeared in turn. Coach Hong also headed to where the team bus was located with the coaching staff. Cho Hyun-woo, who protects the back door of the national team, was the last to complete the immigration process.
About 20 Korean residents, including Korean Ambassador Kim Ki-joo and Chairman Kim Seung-il of the Association of Oman, welcomed the national team with bouquets of flowers at the arrival hall. Korean fans shouted for an autograph when Kim Min-jae, a defender playing for Bayern Munich, Germany, passed by. Kim turned his foot with an embarrassing expression as he was about to pass by, and accepted the request with a big smile.
After arriving at the accommodation quickly, the national team began local adaptation training at Alshiv Stadium at 6 p.m. local time on the 7th and 11 p.m. Korean time.
Coach Hong met with domestic reporters earlier and revealed how he would prepare for the upcoming battle against Oman while reviving the last Palestinian match.
To Hong, Oman is a place that he has fond memories of. In February 2012, when he was the coach of the U-23 national team, he defeated Oman’s U-23 team 3-0 and confirmed his qualification for the 2012 London Olympics. At the Alsiv Stadium, he won the title.
Coach Hong, who faced the reporters, smiled after recalling his old memories, saying, “The country of arrogance is a strange place, but it’s not bad because it was a place where there was good energy.”
This is a match that must be won. Team Korea, which had a 0-0 draw with Palestine in the first match, will have to face pressure if it fails to win in this away match against Oman.
The national team will face Iraq at home after visiting Jordan in October. In November, two consecutive away games in the Middle East are waiting for Kuwait and Palestine. Since most of the matches are away until the match against Palestine in November, which will turn the halfway point, it is important to secure as many points as possible here. Only then can the team be confirmed to advance to the finals in the 7th to 10th games next year. Korea will play three of the last four games at home.
Both Korea and Oman need to win. If Korea fails to win in the match against Oman, the foundation of Hong Myung-bo, who took the helm amid major controversy, will likely be severely shaken. In the third preliminary round in Group B, Korea was part of a group with five Middle Eastern countries, including Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait, in addition to Oman and Palestine. As Iraq and Jordan are considered stronger opponents, if they fail to win against Oman, their advance to the finals will inevitably turn on a red light.
Hong seems to be continuing his plan for the match against Oman. “It is expected that Oman will play a dense defense,” he said. “To break the dense defense, the opposite turning pass is important. There will be changes compared to the match against Palestine,” he said, signaling a change in the lineup.
Coach Hong also felt responsibility for the situation in which players were being booed and harmed throughout the game because of him, but asked fans to support them as much as possible. He said, “Please send support to the players.”
In the match against Palestine, Korean players with relatively good skills struggled due to poor grass conditions at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, and the Korea Football Association sent a positive signal to the Korean Football Association considering changing its home stadium.
The following is director Hong Myung-bo’s question and answer.
-I have a good memory in Oman.
Oman is a strange place, but it is not bad because it was a place where there was good energy.
-Kim Min-jae had friction with fans, but what is the current situation.
I saw it later after the game. As a national team player, I play for the people. Kim Min-jae, who I know, is a player who I thank for my fans. I know that the fans’ support gives me strength.
In a way, I think it happened because of the coach and the things about me. I don’t know how he felt about it, but I hope he would cheer for the players. Criticism toward the coach is acceptable. The coach can take the blame.
-To look back on the Palestinian war.
The result is a little disappointing. It’s the final qualifying round, and it’s time to produce results. There were many chances in the second half, and they couldn’t bring points because they couldn’t make it. It was a game where I felt sorry for him. Players from Europe, especially Kim Min-jae, Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, went to the game right after a day off and saw a little bit of fatigue.
-The grass was not good at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. Have you seen the Sultan Qaboos Stadium.
We have to see it at the official training the day after tomorrow. I think it can be better if the players have good technique and the ground environment is good. First of all, it’s good to have a good performance of our players.
-It is said that they will push for the remaining World Cup qualifying home games at other stadiums.
It is natural to play the World Cup game in Sangam (Seoul World Cup Stadium), but the Korea Football Association itself thinks that if the grass continues to be bad, it will not be good for the players’ performance, so it will be considered.
-Was it the first time I heard boos for the whole 90 minutes.
It’s the first time I’ve experienced it, so I can’t say I’m not embarrassed. What’s going on outside is outside, and I hope you’ll cheer for the players inside the stadium.
-How do you plan to prepare for the Battle of Oman.
The most important thing is solidarity and cohesion. It may or may not be done by anyone. I think it can be done by any number of surroundings. I’m not sure how the overall atmosphere, flow, and thoughts of the stadium will come out in the next game. Because it’s everyone’s first time experiencing it.
From the manager’s point of view, it is my role to make this positive and good results, and I think it is best for the players to focus on the game without thinking too much about other things too unnecessarily so that they can get good results again. 메이저놀이터
There are players who have individual talents in Oman. In the final qualifying round, the opponent can have one chance, that can be a counter attack or a set piece, and it is a good idea to increase concentration. I don’t know how the opponent will come out, but if I get off, I have to find a way. You can train tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
-Which one didn’t go the best against Palestine.
The last match against Palestine was a little short of time to do such a thing. The positive thing was that it was better in the second half than in the first half. In the first half, there was a part where he wanted to receive the ball, so the players were not enough when they came down and the ball had to go forward.
I know the players own the ball, but I want them to be aware of its purpose. Owning is about how much we want to play in the form we want and to make it our intention. It’s hard to break the dense defense that way because the ball is turned too stable. I know from playing these games, but it’s not easy to break through dense defense without the opposite change.
-Are you going to make a difference in the war against Oman.
“There will be changes. I think we need to give them. They have been together for several years, and I started the game after a day of training. I thought it was more important to enable the players to do better what they had been doing well than to my overall color. I made some changes in the second half, and it went well, but I will revise it well in the remaining two days to prepare.”
-How are the players.
In the case of European players, they arrived on the 3rd and spent 15 to 16 hours waiting until they arrived, and took 4 days and 5 days (training and games) and took a day off from June 6. Managing physical stamina and jet lag is difficult. They participated in the game without fully recovering before the game came. They had physical difficulties, and the same is true this time, but I think they will be a little better this time than the last game.
-Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in missed a decisive opportunity.
If you lose your stamina, it will lead to concentration, and it would have affected you overall. They are not players who will miss that.
-What did you tell the players.
After the game, I didn’t talk to one player or some players. I felt sorry for the overall game, but he told me that he did his best until the end. I said, “We have the next game, so let’s prepare well.”