Seoul: South Korea defeated Kuwait 4-0 at home Tuesday to conclude their World Cup qualifying campaign, celebrating their early qualification for the big tournament in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Jeon Jin-woo, Lee Kang-in, Oh Hyeon-gyu, and Lee Jae-sung each scored a goal at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, with 41,911 fans in attendance to witness the team's final Group B match in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers. South Korea, ranked 23rd globally, finished first in their group with 22 points from six wins and four draws, while Kuwait, ranked 134th, ended last with five points from five draws and five losses. Jordan secured the second qualifying spot from Group B.
South Korea had already secured their World Cup berth with a 2-0 away win over Iraq last Thursday. With their qualification assured, head coach Hong Myung-bo indicated that the Kuwait match would serve as an opportunity for young and inexperienced players to prove themselves. Hong made significant changes to the lineup, introducing seven new players, six of whom had fewer than 10 caps.
The less experienced players contributed significantly to the victory on a cool night in Seoul. This was South Korea's second home win in five matches during the third round. Their next international fixtures will be against China, Hong Kong, and Japan at the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Football Championship in July.
In Tuesday's match, Lee Chang-geun made his second international appearance at age 31, replacing Jo Hyeon-woo, who had started all previous nine matches in the third round. On defense, Lee Tae-seok and Seol Young-woo made their second consecutive starts, while Lee Han-beom, 22, made his international debut, and Kim Ju-sung, 24, earned his third cap.
Veteran midfielder Hwang In-beom partnered with 27-year-old Won Du-jae, who returned to the national team for his eighth cap after a two-year absence. Lee Kang-in resumed his role as an attacking midfielder with new partners Bae Jun-ho and Jeon Jin-woo. Bae, 21, was called up from the under-22 national team specifically for this match, while Jeon, 25, made his national team debut against Iraq.
Longtime captain Son Heung-min, initially sidelined with a foot injury, returned to the bench for Tuesday's match. Bae had several early opportunities, including a header in the 11th minute that hit the right post. South Korea took the lead at the half-hour mark when Jeon Jin-woo scored his first national team goal, with the ball deflecting off a defender.
In the second half, Lee Kang-in doubled the lead in the 51st minute, followed by Oh Hyeon-gyu's goal three minutes later, assisted by Bae. South Korea extended their lead to 4-0 in the 72nd minute with a goal from Lee Jae-sung, who had substituted for Jeon. Son Heung-min replaced Oh in the 75th minute, marking his 134th cap and moving him to third place on South Korea's all-time list.