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| Son Heung-min attempts a header against the United Arab Emirates during the teams’ Group A match in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 11. Yonhap |
The undefeated South Korea remained in second place in their group at the halfway point in the final Asian World Cup qualifying campaign Friday, still holding down the last automatic spot for next year’s big tournament.
Through five matches completed, South Korea ranked second in Group A with 11 points from three wins and two draws. They defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 1-0 on Thursday night at home.
Iran stayed at the top with 13 points from four wins and a draw. South Korea appeared on the verge of taking over first place Thursday, with Iran trailing Lebanon 1-0 late in a match that kicked off an hour after South Korea’s game. But Iran rallied with two goals during injury time to steal three points.
A Lebanese upset would have made Group A more interesting. As things stand, though, Lebanon sit six points back of South Korea in third place.
The top two nations from each of the two groups will qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The two third-place teams will meet in a playoff, and the winner will then play in the last-chance intercontinental playoff.
The three bottom feeders in Group A are all winless: Iraq with four draws and a loss, the UAE with three draws and two losses, and Syria with two draws and three losses.
South Korea will next play Iraq on Tuesday in Qatar as a neutral venue. It will be the final World Cup qualifier for 2021. The tournament will resume in January and wrap up in March.
South Korea have played at every World Cup since 1986, including as co-hosts with Japan in 2002.
In Group B, Saudi Arabia and Australia are holding down the top two spots at 13 and 10 points. Japan are in third at nine points.
The last-place Vietnam, coached by South Korean Park Hang-seo, have lost all five matches so far, including a 1-0 defeat against Japan on Thursday. (Yonhap)
Korea in 2nd place at midway point of final World Cup qualifying round
Source: Buhay Kapa PH
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