Existing overseas players vs. challenger K Leaguer, Hong Myung-boho enters competition to become the main player

Existing overseas players vs. challenger K Leaguer, Hong Myung-boho enters competition to become the main player

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Competition is taking place in Hong Myung-bo for the Iraq match.
Team Korea left Incheon International Airport for Iraq on Tuesday (Korea time). Team Korea will have an away match in Group B of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North Korea, China, and the U.S. at 3:15 a.m. on Tuesday at Basra International Stadium in Basra, Iraq.
If the team wins a draw in the match, it will be confirmed that the Korean team will advance to the finals. The third round of preliminary round will be held up to 10 rounds, and the first and second places among the six teams in each group will advance to the finals, while the third and fourth places will move on to the fourth round. As of the eighth round, Korea is ranking first in its group (four wins, four draws). It is four points shorter than Iraq (three wins, three draws, two losses) which is ranking third in the group.
Regarding the first training session of the national team, which took place on the evening of the 3rd local time, the Korea Football Association said all 26 players of the team conducted full-body training at 9 p.m. at Alpeha Stadium and trained for about an hour and a half.
Coach Hong Myung-bo conducted conditioning according to the time and timing of each player's participation in matches. To this end, the team was divided into three groups, and started physical training with different intensity and programs, respectively.
Training was conducted to strengthen organizational power. Tactical training such as coordination training combined with recreation and small side games to supplement offensive and defensive positions were conducted.
The coaching staff arrived an hour earlier than the players and prepared for the training, ensuring that the players were in good condition. Feeling hot weather in person even though it was late at night, the players felt personally what the environment was like in Iraq. Nonetheless, the training was conducted in a positive mood.
When conducting tactical training, several players were used in each position. The work to determine the main players to play in the Iraq match was carried out from the first training session.
The move is apparently aimed at checking players' physical conditions and their sense of play in recent months. Hong has not been able to make many changes to the starting lineup of the national team. Even if some players have been changed, he has not changed the fact that many major European players including Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Kang-in and Lee Jae-sung are used in the starting lineup.
Given the circumstances, however, it is not easy to expect European players to be in normal condition. Basically, it is right after the K-League is over at the beginning of the season and the European League is over. Players who used to play in Europe are more fatigued. Son Heung-min has also been injured until recently, while Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan have not secured time to play, 먹튀검증 which is worrisome.
The lineup against Iraq has the potential to be the freshest combination since Hong's inauguration. K-League 1 scoring leader Jeon Jin-woo, Moon Seon-min who is expected to "super serve," Kim Jin-kyu, who can release the game in the midfield, and defensive midfielder Park Jin-seop are aiming for a chance to play in the national team.