South Korea falters again in World Cup qualifying after disappointing draw with Jordan

Son Heung-min’s South Korea continues to lead and is favoured to qualify for the World Cup from Asian qualifying Group B, yet they delivered another uninspired display, being held at home for the second consecutive match.

In Suwon, South Korea played to a 1-1 draw with second-placed Jordan, mirroring last week’s result against Oman in Goyang.

Had they secured two victories, South Korea would have automatically qualified for the tournament with two matches remaining.

Now, they are set for a challenging away match against Iraq in June, followed by a crucial home fixture against Kuwait, requiring four points from these final two encounters to ensure progression without relying on other outcomes.

Jordan sits three points behind South Korea, while Iraq could move to within a point of the top by defeating Palestine in Amman later today.

Lee Jae-sung managed to give the hosts the lead in just the fifth minute by converting Son’s corner unmarked from close range.

However, that would be the pinnacle of the performance from the Koreans, who, despite dominating possession, struggled to threaten the Jordanian goal.

Jordan proved dangerous on the counterattack, equalising with a deflected shot from Mahmoud Al Mardi in the 30th minute.

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