Son Heung-min issues warning as South Korea travel to China for World Cup qualifier

HONG KONG – South Korea travel to China for 2026 World Cup qualifying, with Son Heung-min warning his side they must keep their cool in front of a sell-out crowd of 60,000 on Nov 21.

The clash in Shenzhen, just over the border from Hong Kong, is the pick of the second round of games in the second phase of qualifying for the 48-team tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Among other notable matches, Australia face Palestine in Kuwait, Japan travel to Jeddah to play Syria, Iran are away at Uzbekistan and India host Qatar.

South Korea thrashed Singapore 5-0 in their opening qualifier on Nov 16, with skipper and Tottenham Hotspur forward Son scoring a screamer from outside the box.

The Taegeuk Warriors are top of Group C on goal difference ahead of China, who scored the winner 16 minutes from time for a 2-1 victory in Thailand.

The South Koreans are favourites in Shenzhen, but Son warned: “I think Asian teams will try to be physical against us, and getting under our skin will perhaps be a part of their strategy.

“We just have to make sure we don’t get dragged into that kind of thing and stick to our own game plan,” Yonhap quoted him as saying, following the thumping of the Lions in Seoul.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has big ambitions for football, including hosting and even winning the World Cup one day, but the China national team have qualified for the tournament only once, back in 2002.

Following the victory over Thailand, Mr Xi – in an unusually unguarded moment – was seen on video telling Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that China had been “lucky”.

He said: “I think there was a lot of luck involved. Because now, about our national team – I’m not so sure about their level.”

No matter the result on Nov 21, South Korea and China will be expected to advance from Group C when the second round wraps up in June.

The top two from each of the nine groups go through to the final Asian qualifying round.

Australia and Japan, who like South Korea both reached the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, also made fast starts to their qualifying campaigns.

The Socceroos smashed Bangladesh 7-0 in Group I, with substitute Jamie Maclaren hitting a second-half hat-trick in Melbourne.

They will face a sterner test against Palestine in Kuwait City and coach Graham Arnold said that preparations were “quite stressful” given the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

But his message was clear – focus on the football – and Australia chartered a flight direct to Kuwait from Melbourne to give themselves as much time as possible to get ready.

Said Australia defender Harry Souttar: “We know they are going to be right up for it and playing for a lot more than just football.”

Palestine began their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Lebanon.

In Group B, Ayase Ueda also scored a hat-trick as Japan got their bid to reach an eighth straight World Cup off to an emphatic start with a 5-0 win over Myanmar.

They too can expect a much stiffer challenge against Syria, who defeated North Korea 1-0. AFP, REUTERS