Returning Hong Myung-bo eyes redemption as South Korea resume World Cup bid
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South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo will take charge of his first game since he was reappointed in July.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TOKYO – South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo returns to the international fray on Sept 5, aiming to erase past disappointments and secure a winning start to the third phase of Asia’s World Cup qualifiers against Palestine.
The Group B opener in Seoul is his first game as national team boss since he was reappointed in July, 10 years after an ignominious exit following South Korea’s group-phase elimination at the 2014 World Cup.
“The regrets from my past experience with the national team have stayed with me throughout my life,” Hong told the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) official website.
“With this new opportunity, I am committed to fulfilling my duty for the development of Korean football.”
The 55-year-old former defender has taken over after a period of instability within the set-up, stepping in as the long-term replacement for Jurgen Klinsmann.
The German had left following his team’s semi-final exit at the Asian Cup in Qatar in February.
Interim coaches Hwang Sun-hong and Kim Do-hoon took the team, captained by Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min, through the remaining second-round qualifiers in March and June and Hong will look to lead the country to an 11th consecutive World Cup berth.
The South Koreans face Palestine before travelling to Muscat to face Oman as part of the 18-nation preliminaries that determine six of Asia’s eight guaranteed berths at the 2026 World Cup Finals.
The Taegeuk Warriors are the favourites to advance from the group, which also sees Iraq take on Oman on Sept 5 and Jordan, Asian Cup runners-up in February, play Kuwait.
“It’s important to remember that this is just a record,” Hong added of South Korea’s qualifying history, which has seen them feature in every World Cup since 1986.
“Even though the number of teams qualifying for this World Cup has increased, we must prepare with a certain level of tension to achieve our goal.”
Fellow serial qualifiers Japan will also launch the next phase of their campaign on Sept 5, when Hajime Moriyasu’s side host China at Saitama Stadium in Group C.
That group also sees Australia take on Bahrain and Saudi Arabia meet Indonesia in the most competitive of the three groups.
In Group A, back-to-back Asian Cup winners Qatar host the United Arab Emirates, while Iran take on Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan entertain North Korea.
The top two finishers in the third phase, which runs until next June, qualify automatically for the Finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while the third and fourth-placed finishers advance to a further round to fight for the two remaining spots. REUTERS
