- Son Heung-min’s 50th international goal helped South Korea win 3-1 against Kuwait and stay atop Group B.
- South Korea now leads Group B with four wins and a draw, and is on track for World Cup qualification.
- Saudi Arabia and Australia played to a 0-0 draw in Group C, with both teams on six points.
- China won 1-0 against Bahrain with a last-minute goal, leveling on points with Saudi Arabia and Australia.
- Iran tops Group A with 13 points, holding off North Korea 3-2 despite being reduced to 10 men.
- Teams finishing third and fourth in the groups will enter a further phase of World Cup qualifying.
Son Heung-min celebrated a milestone achievement by scoring his 50th international goal, helping South Korea secure a 3-1 victory over Kuwait in World Cup qualifiers on Thursday. The win puts South Korea in a commanding position at the top of Group B, keeping them on track for qualification to the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Missing last month’s qualifiers due to injury, Son’s return was marked by a first-half penalty. The victory, which leaves South Korea with four wins and a draw from five matches, strengthens their campaign, with the top two teams from each of the three Asian qualifying groups advancing to the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The match in Kuwait started well for South Korea, with striker Oh Se-hun opening the scoring in the 10th minute with a powerful header. Nine minutes later, Son won and then converted a penalty to double their lead. Kuwait responded in the second half, with Mohammad Daham scoring a stunning half-volley to pull one back for the hosts. However, substitute Bae Jun-ho sealed the win for South Korea in the 74th minute, tapping in at the near post following a rebound.
Group C Drama as Saudi Arabia and Australia Draw
In Group C, Saudi Arabia and Australia played out a goalless draw in Melbourne, with both teams struggling to gain ground in the race for qualification. Saudi Arabia had a goal ruled out for offside in injury time, and the stalemate left both teams level on six points, battling for second place in the group.
Meanwhile, China also moved to six points with a dramatic 1-0 win in Bahrain, courtesy of a last-minute goal from Zhang Yuning. Bahrain thought they had scored a late winner, but VAR ruled it offside, and China capitalized in the dying moments of the game. Japan, sitting atop Group C, will have the opportunity to extend their lead when they face Indonesia in Jakarta on Friday.
Iran Holds Firm to Maintain Group A Lead
Elsewhere, Iran held on to top spot in Group A with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over North Korea. Iran had a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime, with Mohammad Mohebi scoring twice and Mehdi Ghayedi adding another. However, Iran’s task was made more difficult after Shojae Khalilzadeh was sent off in the 52nd minute for a foul on Ri Jo Guk, giving North Korea a numerical advantage. Despite pulling two goals back—one of which came from an own goal by Inter Milan’s Mehdi Taremi—Iran managed to hang on for all three points.
North Korea remains at the bottom of Group A, still seeking their first win in the third qualifying stage. The third and fourth-place teams from each group will enter an additional phase of qualifiers.
