It seems there is no need to worry too much about the absence of Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham).

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, faced Kuwait in the 10th match of the final qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup in Group B at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 10th, winning 4-0.

As a result, Korea finished the World Cup qualifiers undefeated. The national team ended the second and third rounds of qualifying for the North and Central America World Cup with 11 wins and 5 draws, never experiencing a single defeat. This is an achievement not seen in 15 years since the 2010 South Africa World Cup qualifiers.

Korea already secured a place in the World Cup finals early, having achieved at least 2nd place in the group with a record of 5 wins and 4 draws (19 points) following a 2-0 victory against Iraq in the away match on the 6th. With this match ending in a 4-0 victory, the national team celebrated their qualification with home fans.

Korea deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation. Oh Hyun-kyu was at the front seeking goals, while Bae Jun-ho, Lee Kang-in, and Jeon Jin-woo formed the attacking midfield. Hwang In-beom and Won Du-jae controlled the midfield, and Lee Tae-seok, Lee Han-beom, Kim Joo-sung, and Seol Young-woo made up the back four. Lee Chang-geun guarded the goal.

Kuwait also faced Korea with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ahmad Zanki took the front position, while Karal Al-Qaisi, Jasem Al-Mutairi, and Ahmad Al-Dhafiri took the attacking midfielder roles. Youssef Majed and Abdulwahab Al-Awadi were in midfield, while Fahad Al-Hajeri, Redha Hanni, Mesari Ghanem, and Mohamed Khaled formed the back four. The goalkeeper gloves were worn by Sulayman Abdul-Ghafoor.

Although Son Heung-min was absent from the starting lineup, his absence was not felt much. There were concerns that the defense, which had concentrated on Son, would now focus on Lee Kang-in, but those worries were unfounded. The wingers Jeon Jin-woo and Bae Jun-ho, who played on both flanks, consistently posed a threat near the opponent's box, naturally spreading the defense, and Lee Kang-in opened up space on both sides by shaking the opposing defense after receiving the ball.

Lee Kang-in, who recorded five chance creations in the first half, shook the opponent's net with a sharp left-footed shot after receiving a pass from Bae Jun-ho in the 6th minute of the second half. When Lee’s second goal came, Korea immediately picked up momentum and added another goal. Bae Jun-ho headed down Hwang In-beom's pass, which Oh Hyun-kyu converted into a goal without mistake. Following that, Oh Hyun-kyu hit the post again in the 11th minute of the first half.

Bae Jun-ho's starting role in this match also stood out. He was originally not selected for this June A-match, but was suddenly called up on the 7th. Bae Jun-ho, who was in the under-22 (U-22) national team summoned by coach Lee Min-sung, joined the Hong Myung-bo squad ahead of the Kuwait match.

Coach Hong Myung-bo noted in an airport return interview that it wasn't a situation to push Son Heung-min too hard, stating he planned to give opportunities to younger players. This is also the reason why Bae Jun-ho, who primarily plays as a left winger like Son, was not a replacement selection but an additional selection.

In fact, in this match, Son Heung-min sat on the bench, and Bae Jun-ho started as a left winger. Coach Hong Myung-bo’s choice proved correct. Bae Jun-ho troubled the Kuwait defense throughout the match, perfectly filling the void left by Son.

From the beginning, Bae Jun-ho targeted the half-space, actively exchanging passes with Lee Kang-in and troubled the Kuwaiti defense with his aggressive breakthroughs. During the first half alone, two Kuwaiti players received warnings for rough fouls while trying to stop Bae Jun-ho.

The synergy between Bae Jun-ho and Lee Kang-in shone even brighter in the second half. He made a good pass toward the penetrating Lee Kang-in in the 6th minute of the second half, and Lee scored with a precise shot. Additionally, Bae Jun-ho contributed his second assist within moments with a header to Oh Hyun-kyu in the 9th minute of the second half.

Son Heung-min, now 32 years old, did not make the future of the national team without 'superstar' Son seem so bleak as anticipated.

[OSEN]