Decisive Victory Over Singapore Propels Team Forward; China Faces Critical Test in Seoul

Courtesy of KFA

South Korea’s national football team delivered a commanding performance in their recent World Cup qualifier, securing a 7-0 victory over Singapore and confirming their advancement to the final round of qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The match, held at the sold-out Singapore National Stadium on Thursday, saw standout contributions from prominent players such as Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in.

Son Heung-min, captain of the South Korean team and forward for Tottenham Hotspur, scored twice during the match. Lee Kang-in, currently playing for Paris Saint-Germain, also found the net twice, with his first goal drawing particular praise for its execution. Hwang Hee-chan, another key player, contributed to the tally, solidifying the team’s dominant performance.

“Just as we gave our fans joy with the win over Singapore, we would all like to finish this round well on our home pitch,” said interim coach Kim Do-hoon upon the team's return to South Korea. The decisive win has set the stage for South Korea’s final match of this qualification round against China, to be held in Seoul on Tuesday.
 

▲ Courtesy of KFA

China’s national team faces a crucial challenge in this upcoming match. Currently sitting with eight points from five games, China is vying for the second position in the group, which would secure them a spot in the final stage of qualification. However, their position is precarious, as they are only three points ahead of Thailand. A loss to South Korea, coupled with a likely victory by Thailand over Singapore, could end China’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup for only the second time in its history.

The historical record between the two teams is heavily in South Korea’s favor, with China having won only twice in 37 meetings. One of those victories came in 2010 when South Korea fielded a team without its European-based players, and the other in 2017 during the qualification process for the 2018 World Cup. China has never won a match in South Korea, making the upcoming fixture in Seoul particularly challenging.

In their previous encounter in Shenzhen in November, South Korea emerged victorious with a 3-0 win. China’s recent performance has been less convincing; they were held to a 1-1 draw against Thailand in Shenyang on Thursday, a result criticized by China’s state-run newspaper, the People's Daily, as falling short of expectations.

“For us, the qualifying tournament isn't over yet,” said China’s coach Branko Ivankovic, a Croatian with significant experience leading teams such as Iran and Oman. “We will go all out in the next match and try to qualify for the next round. There is still a lot of football to be played, and we will go to South Korea and give it all we have.”

With South Korea now focused on the final qualification round beginning in September, the match against China represents an opportunity to experiment with new players and strategies. However, South Korea is unlikely to take the match lightly, aiming to maintain momentum and possibly end China’s World Cup aspirations in front of a home crowd.

Sayart

Kang In sig, insig6622@naver.com