South Korea defeats Jordan 2-0 in World Cup qualifier

On October 10, 2024, South Korea secured a 2-0 victory over Jordan in Amman during the Asian World Cup qualifying matches. The team played without key players Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan, both of whom were sidelined due to injuries. Lee Jae-sung opened the scoring with a header, followed by Oh Hyeon-gyu's goal in the second half, ensuring South Korea topped their group. Meanwhile, Iraq, who defeated Palestine, remained level on points with South Korea. In another match, Australia, under new coach Tony Popovic, rebounded from previous setbacks by defeating China 3-1. Despite an early goal from China, Australia managed to equalize before halftime and then took the lead with a stunning long-range goal from Craig Goodwin. Nishan Velupillay capped off the victory with a goal in stoppage time, marking a successful start for Popovic. Japan also continued their strong performance in the qualifiers, defeating Saudi Arabia 2-0 to maintain their position at the top of their group. The results from these matches highlight the competitive nature of the Asian World Cup qualifiers, with teams vying for a spot in the upcoming World Cup. As the qualifiers progress, the stakes are high for all teams involved, with only the top two from each group securing direct qualification. The absence of star players for South Korea and the coaching change for Australia add layers of intrigue to the ongoing tournament.