Could it be because I am not in my best condition? Hwang Hee-chan missed an incredibly easy chance, leaving a sense of regret.

The Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, won 2-0 against Iraq in the 9th match of Group B in the third qualifying round for the 2026 North and Central America FIFA World Cup at the Basra International Stadium in Basra, Iraq on the 6th (Korea time).

Korea maintained the top position in the group with 5 wins, 4 draws, and 19 points. Iraq, with 3 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses, remained in 3rd place with 12 points.

As a result of this day, Korea secured 2nd place in the group regardless of the outcome of the final third qualifying match against Kuwait on the 10th at Seoul World Cup Stadium, confirming its 11th consecutive appearance in the World Cup finals, starting from the 1986 Mexico tournament.

In the third qualifying round, the 1st and 2nd places go directly to the World Cup finals. The 3rd and 4th places will try again in the fourth qualifying round for a spot in the finals.

Korea deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation. Oh Se-hoon started at the forefront, followed by Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Jae-sung, and Lee Kang-in behind him. Park Yong-woo and Hwang In-beom occupied the midfield, while the defense line consisted of Lee Tae-seok, Kwon Kyung-won, Jo Yu-min, and Seol Yong-woo. The goalkeeper was Jo Hyun-woo.

Son Heung-min (Tottenham), who joined the national team after winning the UEFA Europa League (UEL) with his club, was not included in the substitute list for the match against Iraq. He was excluded from the squad, likely due to the lingering effects of a foot injury that troubled him at the end of the season. He is reportedly still not fully recovered.

Iraq also faced Korea with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ali Al-Hamadi started as the forward. In the second line were Yusef Ameen, Ibrahim Bayesh, and Ali Jassim. The third line consisted of Hussein Ali, Levin Sulaka, Zaid Tahsin, and Merchas Doski. The goalkeeper was Jalal Hassan.

On this day, Korea gained a numerical advantage in the 23rd minute of the first half. Iraq's frontline player Al-Hamadi was sent off with a direct red card for raising his foot too high during an aerial contest with Jo Yu-min. The injury resulted in a wound on Jo's forehead. The referee conducted an on-field review, changing the existing yellow card to a red card.

The atmosphere shifted. Korea began to gradually take control of the attack. Riding the momentum, Korea aimed for the opening goal. However, they missed a crucial opportunity. In the 30th minute of the first half, during a corner kick situation, Hwang In-beom delivered a perfect cross that reached Hwang Hee-chan, who was left unmarked. Even the opposing defender and goalkeeper completely overlooked the unmarked situation.

However, Hwang Hee-chan's shot grazed the side netting instead of hitting the goal. It was a situation in which he could have easily finished, leading to great lamentation. Even the soccer statistics app 'Footmob' initially recorded Hwang Hee-chan's goal before canceling it after seeing the side netting.

Including this scene, Hwang Hee-chan appeared to lack match sharpness, possibly due to being sidelined on the bench at his club. He looked active but failed to connect his movements to consolidation. In the 42nd minute of the first half, Hwang Hee-chan again stirred up the Iraqi side but failed to connect well when he needed to take a final shot from the left.

Ultimately, in the 16th minute of the second half, Hwang Hee-chan left the match after being substituted for Moon Seon-min. In many ways, it was a game that showcased Hwang Hee-chan's decline in match sharpness.

[Photo] Community source.

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