logo
World Cup: South Korea near qualification as Uzbekistan chase history

World Cup: South Korea near qualification as Uzbekistan chase history

Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in – fresh off European trophy wins – aim to lead South Korea to the World Cup, with four remaining automatic spots from Asia up for grabs.
Japan and Iran have already sealed their berths at the tournament next year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
South Korea are guaranteed to join them on Thursday if they avoid defeat against Iraq in Basra. Even if they lose, they will have another opportunity at home to Kuwait next Tuesday in Group B.
South Korea and Spurs captain Son did not have his best club season, but the 32-year-old attacker finished it off by lifting the Europa League trophy.
International teammate Lee collected a Champions League winner's medal with Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday after they thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich, although he remained on the bench for the final.
Paris Saint-Germain's Lee Kang-in touches the Champions League trophy. Photo: Xinhua

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Olympic great Simone Biles enjoys Hong Kong visit, shares snaps on Instagram
Olympic great Simone Biles enjoys Hong Kong visit, shares snaps on Instagram

South China Morning Post

timean hour ago

  • South China Morning Post

Olympic great Simone Biles enjoys Hong Kong visit, shares snaps on Instagram

Olympic hero Simone Biles showed she was enjoying her visit to Hong Kong, as she uploaded pictures of herself in the city on her Instagram page. The seven-time Olympic gold medallist was in the city to take part in a UBS Asian Investment Conference, where she addressed 600 young athletes as well as fans from the local gymnastics clubs. Biles uploaded a picture of herself standing next to a sign that simply read 'Hong Kong', followed by two images of her at restaurants and another at Temple Street Night Market. Fans flooded the comments on her post with locals thrilled to see their idol in the city and many writing 'Welcome to Hong Kong'. The 28-year-old was speaking alongside UBS Global Wealth Management Asia chair Amy Lo, who had said she was 'thrilled' to welcome Biles for the conference, which ran from May 27 to 30. Biles, who received worldwide acclaim after withdrawing from the team event at the 2020 Olympics to focus on her mental health, discussed the topic of resilience.

China seek perfection in do-or-die World Cup qualifier clash against Indonesia
China seek perfection in do-or-die World Cup qualifier clash against Indonesia

South China Morning Post

time2 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

China seek perfection in do-or-die World Cup qualifier clash against Indonesia

China will fight to stay alive in the hunt for a World Cup spot with hopes of a 'perfect performance' when they face Indonesia in a crucial qualifier on Thursday, coach Branko Ivankovic said. Advertisement China stand on the brink of elimination from World Cup qualification – a defeat at Indonesia's sold-out, 76,000-seater Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Thursday would end any chance of the Chinese team reaching the tournament for only the second time in their history. 'Tomorrow will be a massive game for us. I hope all the team will have a perfect performance,' Ivankovic told reporters ahead of the clash in Jakarta. 'We are well aware of the pressure playing in Indonesia's home stadium, and we've been preparing the players to turn that pressure into motivation. 'Indonesia has strengthened its squad with naturalised players, making this a difficult match for us. We need to stay focused and avoid any distractions.' Zhang Yuning scores China's second goal in their 2-1 win over Indonesia last October. Photo Reuters In their previous qualifier, China lost to Saudi Arabia in Riyadh despite having reignited their World Cup hopes with wins against Indonesia and Bahrain.

World Cup hopes on the line for China in Jakarta
World Cup hopes on the line for China in Jakarta

RTHK

time3 hours ago

  • RTHK

World Cup hopes on the line for China in Jakarta

World Cup hopes on the line for China in Jakarta China's head coach Branko Ivankovic at a training session ahead of his side's clash with Indonesia. Photo: AFP Asian qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup are set to resume on Thursday with China facing Indonesia in a pivotal away match at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. According to tournament rules, only the top two in each six-team group advance directly to the World Cup – while the third and fourth-placed teams enter the playoffs. With two matches remaining, Indonesia sits fourth in Group C with nine points while China is level with Bahrain at the bottom on six points. Indonesia hold a three-point lead over China and a seven-goal edge in goal difference. A home win would all but guarantee Indonesia a top-four finish. For China, there is only one way to keep their World Cup hopes alive – win on Indonesian soil. So far, only Japan has managed a win in Jakarta during this qualifying campaign. Indonesia, fueled by passionate home support from around 80,000 fans, has turned its capital into a fortress – beating Saudi Arabia 2-0, edging Bahrain 1-0 and holding Australia to a 0-0 draw. On a humid Jakarta night in front of a raucous crowd – and an energetic Indonesian side bolstered by naturalised talent – the pressure awaiting China is immense. "The first step to reaching the playoffs is winning this match. This demands that we play attacking football, with every player giving their all in running and effort," said head coach Branko Ivankovic, who expressed confidence that his players could transform pressure into motivation. Ivankovic will have to contend with key absences – striker Wu Lei is sidelined with injury, while attacking midfielders Lin Liangming and Xie Wenneng are suspended. As a result, Zhang Yuning and Wei Shihao will bear much of the attacking burden. Fans will be eager to see 18-year-old Wang Yudong, who has impressed in the Chinese Super League, potentially earn his first national team start. His energy and pace could inject much-needed dynamism. The midfield performances of naturalised players Serginho and Yang Mingyang will also be vital. "This is a battle for survival," Zhang emphasised. "Victory is the only option – there's no room for retreat." He added that, as the away side, China must turn pressure into momentum and showcase the results of training and unity as a team. "We focused on key techniques like offense, defence and set-pieces," the midfielder said. "We've performed well, but in matches, we must be able to adapt flexibly to on-the-spot situations." Though the task is daunting, it is not beyond reach. In their previous Group C meeting with Indonesia, China – then mired in a three-match losing streak – came out aggressively, scoring twice in the first half before holding on for a 2-1 win. (Xinhua)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store