Hwang Sun-hong Ho to play return match against Thailand on Saturday after beating Anbangseo pride

After a humiliating defeat at home, South Korea's soccer team will face Thailand in a return match.

The South Korean national football team, led by interim head coach Hwang Sun-hong, will take on Thailand at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, at 9:30 p.m. ET on June 26 in their fourth Group C match of the 2026 North American Football Championship Asia Second Qualifying Round.

Korea leads the group with two wins and one draw (7 points), but suffered a blow to its pride when it drew 1-1 with Thailand at home on Sept. 21 in Seoul. They failed to capitalize on Son Heung-min's (Tottenham) 42nd-minute opener.

Thailand is ranked 101st in the FIFA rankings, well below South Korea (22nd).

With the likes of Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), South Korea have the objective advantage in terms of depth and quality, but it was a huge disappointment not to take all three points at home.

They desperately needed a win to clear the air after last month's Asian Cup quarterfinal exit and other issues. They had to settle for a meaningful point for coming together as a unit again.

Son Heung-min asserted his captaincy with his 45th career A-Match goal, while controversial sub Lee Kang-in came on as a second-half substitute and continued his consistent form with incisive passes and crosses.

Striker Lee Min-kyu (Ulsan), the oldest player ever to make his A-Match debut, also impressed up front, battling hard against the Thai defense and helping to set up link-up play.

However, sloppy execution and poor goal-decision held them back, and a few costly mistakes cost them the match. In the early stages, they even looked flustered by Thailand's aggressive pressing.

According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), South Korea dominated possession 78.5 percent to 21.5 percent and shots 25 (eight on target) to six (two), but were inefficient.

Hwang said, "Overall, we lacked stability and were psychologically rushed. There are some parts of the game that are very balanced. We need to find a sense of stability and play well normally. We will make up for that and prepare for the away game."

The second-place finishers in each group advance to the third round. We still have an advantage in the group, but we can't let our guard down. That's why the trip to Thailand is so important.

The Thai soccer community and fans were encouraged by the valuable point against Seoul.

According to Thai media outlet Siam Sports, ticket prices for the already sold-out Korea-Thailand second qualifying round match have jumped tenfold on unofficial channels. Around 50,000 people are expected to attend.

"Ticket prices have increased tenfold," said SiamSport, "and there will be many black market vendors around the stadium on the day of the match. The price may skyrocket further," said Siam Sports.

Thai Prime Minister Theta Shinawatra encouraged the team, saying, "Let's have a great game again on the 26th." "We are trying to find a way for the government to support within the regulations," he said, hinting at the possibility of rewarding the team separately from the Football Association of Thailand.

Along with the one-sided support from Thai fans, the Taegeuk Warriors will also have to overcome the local weather. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 30s Celsius in the evenings, with humidity between 70 and 80 percent, making for hot and humid conditions.

"I don't think there's any easy game," Son said after the third match against Thailand. We have to be prepared for boos and passionate support from the home fans. It's definitely going to be a difficult game," he said, adding, "I think if we prepare better and do what we need to do, the result won't be a problem. We will do our best to play a better game."

South Korea leads the all-time series against Thailand 46-30-8-2 with eight draws.

The most recent defeat came 26 years ago. It was in the quarterfinals of the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, where Korea lost 1-2 in extra time. Coincidentally, this is the same stadium where the two teams will meet.

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Pub: 24 Mar 2024 08:24 UTC
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