S. Korea overcome fitful stretch to win opening match in 2026 World Cup qualification

As they began their journey toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday night in Seoul, South Korea went through a sputtering stretch before their biggest stars came through.

South Korea beat Singapore 5-0 in their first Group C match in the second round of the Asian World Cup qualification tournament at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The list of the five goal scorers was who’s who in South Korean football today, all five of them plying their club trade in Europe.

Captain Son Heung-min, a veteran Tottenham Hotspur talisman, was joined by a fellow Premier League player, Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers, and another English-based forward, Hwang Ui-jo of Norwich City. Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in and FC Midtjylland forward Cho Gue-sung also had a goal apiece.

But the final score was deceiving, as South Korea generated nothing for the opening 44 minutes until Cho put them on the board.

At No. 24, South Korea came in sitting 131 spots above Singapore in the FIFA rankings. And not surprisingly, South Korea dictated the terms of the match from the opening kickoff.

However, until Cho’s opening goal on 44 minutes, South Korea had nothing to show for all the time they had spent in the attacking area.

For the most part, South Korean players tried to be too cute in and around the box. They looked for the elusive perfect pass when a shot could have led to a better outcome.

And it took some skilled plays from their best players to finally unlock Singapore’s defense.

Lee sent a brilliant left-footed cross toward the goalmouth, and Cho found space behind the napping defense to poke the ball home for the opening goal.

Early in the second half, Cho sent a cross from the right wing and Hwang Hee-chan soared over multiple bodies to head it home.

That second goal seemed to allow South Korea to start breathing a bit more easily, and the next three goals were all thanks to great individual effort.

Son made it 3-0 with a vintage Sonny goal: a left-footed curler after a cut from the right wing toward the middle. Hwang Ui-jo scored a penalty with a deft hesitation move that got goalkeeper Hassan Sunny off balance.

Then Lee Kang-in had a goal for himself with a clinical left-footed shot from just outside the box, after a Singapore clearing attempt landed right at his feet.

Thursday’s match was the first Group C match for both South Korea and Singapore in the second round of the Asian qualification tournament for the next World Cup. China and Thailand are the two other teams in the group. With the top two nations after round robin action advancing to the third round, there is little doubt that South Korea, as the top-ranked team in the group at No. 24, will grab a spot in the next phase.

But it was still important for South Korea to reaffirm their status as the group favorites with a convincing win out of the gate. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has stressed all week long that his team would take nothing for granted and they would view 155th-ranked Singapore as a worthy foe. Son sang the same tune, guarding against overconfidence.

And South Korea had to fight for every goal in this match. When things get bogged down offensively, it helps to have some real talent and skill on your side.

For the first time since 2020, South Korea have scored at least four goals in three consecutive matches.