South Korea’s midfielder Son Heung-min (centre) warms up along with his teammates throughout a coaching session at Mokdong Stadium in Seoul on November 13, 2023, forward of the 2026 World Cup qualifying match between South Korea and Singapore.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Son Heung-min will be a part of South Korea for its opening sport in World Cup qualifying, with head coach Jurgen Klinsmann aiming to begin the second stage of Asian competitors with an announcement win.
The Koreans and Asia’s 5 different 2022 World Cup members begin their qualification campaigns to look on the 2026 match on Thursday.
None of the continental heavyweights are taking this stage calmly, with European-based stars similar to Son, Kaoru Mitoma and Mehdi Taremi picked for his or her nationwide groups to tackle among the continent’s lower-ranked rivals.
South Korea kicks off in opposition to Singapore in Seoul with Tottenham star Son and Wolves ahead Hwang Hee-chan main the assault. Both have been in wonderful type within the Premier League.
Klinsmann is able to play his strongest group, regardless of the actual fact Singapore is ranked No. 155, as he begins a bid for South Korea to qualify for an eleventh successive World Cup.
“You have to take them very seriously,” Klinsmann, who was appointed in February, advised a news convention in Seoul. “Your mind has to be in the right place. We have to be very sharp from the first moment.”
That’s an strategy that the likes of Japan, Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are additionally taking.
The prime two from every of the 9 four-team teams will progress to the subsequent stage of Asian qualifying, the place they’re going to compete for one of many eight automated spots on the World Cup – double the continental quota accessible in 2022.
Klinsmann dismissed the concept this makes the street to the 2026 World Cup within the U.S., Mexico and Canada any simpler.
“All the teams that fight for a spot in the World Cup will fight even harder now,” the previous U.S. coach stated. “It will still be very difficult.”
Japan has appeared at each World Cup since 1998 and, now ranked No. 18, is Asia’s type group with six wins from its final six video games, a run that features a 4-1 win in Germany and a 4-2 win over Turkey.
Head coach Hajime Moriyasu needs to make use of that momentum to get off to an ideal begin in Osaka in opposition to Myanmar, ranked 140 locations under at 158th, after which in opposition to Syria 5 days in a while impartial turf in Jeddah.
“We want to take six points from these two games,” Moriyasu, voted Asia’s males’s coach of the yr, stated. “We want to win and we want to give a performance that will allow us to build for the future.”
Australia additionally reached the knockout stage on the 2022 World Cup, pushing eventual champion Argentina all the best way within the second spherical. In the final two months, the Socceroos drew 2-2 with Mexico, misplaced 1-0 to England in London and beat New Zealand 2-0.
“We’ve had the opportunity to test ourselves against some of world football’s best in the last six months, and our performances have shown just how effective we can be, learning a lot along the way,” coach Graham Arnold stated.
Arnold will lead the Socceroos for a document 59th time as coach in opposition to Bangladesh in Melbourne. “It’ll be a fantastic honor,” he said, “but three points is all I care about.”
Qatar remains to be recovering from dropping all three video games as World Cup host in 2022, and takes on Afghanistan in its first sport. Carlos Queiroz, who led Portugal, Iran and South Africa efficiently by World Cup qualification, was appointed in February.
Queiroz’s alternative in Tehran is Amir Ghalenoei, whose second spell with Iran begins in opposition to Hong Kong in what is probably the hardest take a look at that any of the so-called huge six face this week.
Roberto Mancini faces his first aggressive sport with Saudi Arabia since being appointed in August. The Green Falcons have gained only one out of 11 video games since their surprising 2-1 win over eventual champion Argentina 2-1 in November on the World Cup.
Taking on Pakistan at residence ought to give the Saudi group the chance for a much-needed victory although because it prepares for more durable assessments forward.
Pakistan is taking part in at this stage for the primary time, having come by the primary spherical of qualifying with a win over Cambodia final month.
In different group openers, the Palestinian group will play Lebanon in Sharjah, having to arrange remotely due to the continuing Israel-Hamas warfare, and United Arab Emirates can be taking part in at residence on the identical evening in opposition to Nepal.
India is touring to Kuwait in Group A and China is touring to Thailand in Group C.
Source: www.thehindu.com
