WC 3rd qualification with a win, but not a draw…why Kim needs a hot streak
South Korean soccer is back on the run. 안전 토토사이트 They are in the final stretch of the second round of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup North and Central America. The chances of elimination are extremely low. But the team is on edge. The team needs a win to revitalize the mood that has been sullied by a coaching change and the “Ping Pong Gate” scandal.
With interim coach Kim Do-hoon at the helm, South Korea will take on Singapore on Saturday (June 6) in the fifth match of Group C of the second Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North and Central American World Cup. They will be in the hunt for a win against Singapore, who are clearly below them in terms of objective strength. A draw is enough to qualify for the third round. But they can’t afford to draw. They must win.
Head coach Kim Do-hoon is well aware of this. “I wanted to be able to help Korean soccer in a difficult situation,” he said after taking over, “and we need to get the best out of our players, so we will get the victory we want. We will have meetings with the players and prepare well,” he emphasized. Despite not having enough time to prepare, the team is determined to win against Singapore and China on Nov. 11.
South Korea has three wins, one draw, and 10 points through four rounds. They were unbeaten with 12 goals scored and one conceded. The team got off to a flying start with a 5-0 home win over Singapore in November last year and continued their winning streak with a 3-0 away win over China in the second leg. However, they faltered in March when they drew 1-1 at home against Thailand. Fortunately, they redeemed themselves with a 3-0 victory in the fourth match against Thailand.
They sit comfortably at the top of Group C, ahead of China (7 points) and Thailand (4 points). They need just one more point in their remaining two matches to qualify for the third round. A win on the road against Singapore on June 6 and at home against China on June 11 will also qualify them for the third round. But a draw is not an option. A hot streak is needed to make up for the disappointment of failing to win the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup and exposing off-field and on-field issues.
Expectations are also high for a new face. Kim Do-hoon has named seven ‘new faces’ to his squad for the Singapore and China games. They include goalkeeper Bae Jun-ho, who has been outstanding for Stoke City in the English Championship this season, as well as defenders Hwang In-jae, Choi Jun, Hwang Jae-won, Ha Chang-rae, Park Seung-wook, and forward Oh Se-hoon. With the victory, the team now faces the challenge of properly testing the abilities of its new recruits.