The much-hyped World Cup qualifier between Kuwait vs South Korea saw the former convincingly lose
2-0 to South Korea on November 14, 2024, at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City. The result keeps going its way to engrain South Korea atop Group B of AFC World Cup qualifying, while
Kuwait carries on with their struggle to move up as they hope along in the tournament.
Highlights of the match: Early lead for South Korea
From the beginning, South Korea demonstrated tactical precision. It was the 10th minute when forward
Oh Se-Hun opened with his strong strike, thanks to an assist from Hwang In-beom .
A goal like this, scored so early, can set the tone of the match underlining attacking power, for one, and
the desire of South Korea to control the game.
In just nine minutes, South Korea was able to double the lead with a given penalty.
The captain of South Korea, Son Heung-min , experienced enough, did not make a mistake and slotted it
into the net to make it 2-0.
Early in the game, South Korea went ahead, whereby Kuwait defenders tried to hold them off for almost
the first half of the game.
Kuwait’s Efforts and Key Plays
Yet, Kuwait was determined to fight its way back into the match.
Captain Fahad Al-Hajri had to lead his side strongly, and midfielder Sultan Al-Enezi fought hard for
opportunities in front of goal.
Kuwait’s attack found its way very difficult to pierce through South Korea’s deep-lying defense,
marshaled by Kim Min-jae and Lee Jae-sung, who stood in the way to block everything Kuwait had thrown at them.
Things got further complicated for his team with a yellow card in the 17th minute to Sami Al-Sanea
from Kuwait.
While efforts were being made on many fronts, an out-of-form Kuwait had little chance of getting back
into the groove against an extremely well-organized midfield and defense for South Korea.
South Korea’s Solid Defense
The South Koreans were just as impressive in their defense as in their offense. In the setup, Coach Hong Myung-bo was organized in keeping the Kuwait forwards at bay. Kim Min-jae marshaled at the back, ably supported by goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, to ensure Kuwait would have few clear-cut chances.
The second half saw players of South Korea working in the objective of maintaining the lead and
managing the ball safely as Kuwait’s counter-attacks were neutralized.
Coach of Kuwait Reflects on Performance of Team
In the post-match interview, Kuwaiti coach Juan Antonio Pizzi saluted the strength of the South Korean
team, showing respect for their organization and skill.
He sounded positive, even with the outcome, saying that Kuwait needs to learn fast and prepare for the coming qualifiers.
Praising the spirit among players, he insisted that the team must not stop learning in order to find their way to growth.
Qualifying Path for South Korea
The victory will keep South Korea atop Group B and further cement its chances of qualifying for the World Cup.
Hong Myung-bo hailed the disciplined performance his players put on, pointing out that they were able to carry out both offensive and defensive plays accordingly.
He remained very optimistic about the future of his team in terms of giving a good performance in
subsequent matches and getting through to the 2026 World Cup.
Next Steps: Kuwait’s
But that is a learning process for Kuwait, Kuwait vs South Korea as they will have to study their mistakes and come back strong.
They are going to have to work on their attacking game and perfect defending skills in future matches. The team is positive in their coming qualifier matches and is looking forward to make big in the tournament.
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