South Korea Secures Third Consecutive Victory in World Cup Qualifiers with a 3-2 Win Over Iraq

YONGIN: South Korea continued their winning streak in the World Cup qualifying campaign, securing a 3-2 victory against Iraq at Yongin Mireu Stadium on Tuesday. This triumph marks their third consecutive win in Group B of the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers, solidifying their lead in the group with a total of 10 points. According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korean striker Oh Se-hun scored his first international goal, contributing significantly to the team's success. His replacement, Oh Hyeon-gyu, continued the momentum, scoring in his second consecutive Group B match. Midfielder Lee Jae-sung also scored, maintaining his scoring streak with goals in back-to-back matches. South Korea's performance has been increasingly robust, following a goalless draw against Palestine at the start of the third round, leading to successive victories over Oman, Jordan, and now Iraq. Iraq, which had not conceded any goals in their previous three matches, struggled to contain South Korea's offensive. Aymen Husse in and Ibrahim Bayesh scored for Iraq, with Bayesh's goal in the second-half stoppage time bringing the team close to a draw, but ultimately they fell short. The match also highlighted individual performances, such as Stoke City midfielder Bae Jun-ho, who earned his first international start and played a pivotal role in the opening goal. The dynamic between players was evident when Bae assisted Oh Se-hun's first goal. Despite earlier injuries to key players like Wolverhampton Wanderers' Hwang Hee-chan and Swansea City's Eom Ji-sung, South Korea demonstrated depth and resilience in their squad. South Korea looks ahead to their next matches against Kuwait and Palestine on the road, as they continue to strive towards qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. South Korea has been a consistent presence at the World Cup since 1986, and their current performance strengthens their prospects of continuing this tradition.