Attention is focusing on whether Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who will reunite on the ground after the unsavoury “table tennis gate” incident, will be able to share a hug in front of home fans again.
The national soccer team, led by interim coach Hwang Sun-hong, will play the third Group C match against Thailand at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 21st.
Korea is leading Group C with six points, beating Singapore and China one after another. The second place is Thailand, which has three points. As the second place finisher in the group qualifies for the third round, Korea can confirm its advance to the next stage early on if it secures a win in both of its two consecutive games against Thailand.
The match against Thailand is an important match in which the national team, which was disappointed by the internal strife at the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qatar Asian Cup held earlier this year, must regain the trust of the people.
In particular, attention is being paid to whether Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, who were at the center of the “table tennis gate” incident, will be able to show good chemistry on the ground again.
Lee Kang-in was at the center of the controversy at the last Asian Cup due to his friction with captain Son Heung-min. There was an argument with Son Heung-min, who tried to restrain him from playing table tennis in the evening, and it eventually turned into a physical fight.
After the controversy, Lee Kang-in personally flew to London and met Son Heung-min, and posted an apology on SNS. At that time, Son Heung-min received an apology from Lee Kang-in with a generous heart.
In a press conference held a day before the match against Thailand, Son Heung-min once again embraced Lee Kang-in.
“I think it takes a lot of courage to make an apology in itself. Everyone learns through mistakes,” Son said. “As a young player, I hope he understands what it means to be a national team. And I hope he becomes a cooler person, a better person.”
Then, Lee Kang-in immediately responded through an apology statement, saying, “In the future, we will try to become not only a good soccer player, but also a better person and an exemplary player who is more helpful to the team.”
As they have reconciled, only the two players have to show on the ground. The most desired picture of soccer fans is that Son Heung-min, who received Lee Kang-in’s pass, also scores a clean finish.
The two raised expectations by collaborating on an additional goal for the first time in the second Group C match of the Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup against China held in November last year.
In the 45th minute of the first half, Son Heung-min finished with a header from Lee Kang-in’s cross from the right side. This was the first time Son Heung-min scored an A-match goal with the help of Lee Kang-in. 업소알바
In the A match at home, Son Heung-min has not yet scored a goal after receiving Lee Kang-in’s pass.
If Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, who have publicly reconciled, score a joint goal in front of a packed crowd, the frozen fan sentiment can quickly melt.