 |
| ▲ In this Action Images photo via Reuters, Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur dribbles the ball during a Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on Aug. 22, 2021. (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲ In this file photo from June 13, 2021, members of the South Korean men's football team stand for their national anthem before playing Lebanon in a Group H match in the second round of the Asian qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap) |
football-World Cup
Son Heung-min called up for World Cup qualifiers amid injury concerns
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min was selected to the national team Monday ahead of two World Cup qualifying matches despite whispers of a possible injury.
Head coach Paulo Bento picked the longtime national team captain, along with 25 other players for World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and Lebanon at home next month.
South Korea will first host Iraq at 8 p.m. on Sept. 2 at Seoul World Cup Stadium in the nation's capital. Then on Sept. 7, South Korea will face Lebanon at 8 p.m. at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul.
Given his considerable offensive talent, Son is clearly a no-brainer choice for Bento. But the 29-year-old attacker will come home amid speculation that he may have injured his left leg.
During Tottenham's most recent Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Son was replaced by Harry Kane in the 72nd minute. Son played the match with his left hamstring area taped and was seen walking gingerly afterward.
When asked about Son's condition, Tottenham coach Nuno Espirito Santo initially said, "I am sorry I cannot answer that."
"For now he's alright," Espirito Santo continued in his press conference. "In the warmup, he had a strange feeling, but he was OK to play. I don't know. Let's assess him. I didn't realize. I'm sorry."
The two upcoming matches are the first two for South Korea in Group A during the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
There are two groups of six countries. After round-robin play through March next year, the top two countries from each group will qualify for the World Cup in Qatar. The two third-place teams will meet in a one-and-done playoff match in May 2022, and the winner will move on to the intercontinental playoff against a team from a region to be determined later.
South Korea have played at every World Cup since 1986, including as a co-host with Japan in 2002.
South Korea have a 7-11-2 (wins-draws-losses) record against Iraq and a 10-3-1 mark against Lebanon.
Other Group A nations are Iran, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
