The South Korean men's soccer team will face Saudi Arabia in their final group stage match on September 22. Having already secured a spot in the quarterfinals, the team is eager to see the performance of newly joined player Lee Young-jun (Grasshopper).
Under the guidance of head coach Lee Min-sung, the team is set to compete against Saudi Arabia at 7 p.m. at the Nagoya Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in the second match of Group D of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Unlike other groups with four teams, Group D consists of only three teams due to Iraq's withdrawal. Qatar has already lost to South Korea 1-4, and their elimination was confirmed after losing to Saudi Arabia as well.
However, the outcome of the match against Saudi Arabia could affect the team's quarterfinal opponent, prompting them to give their all. Currently, South Korea leads Group D with a one-goal advantage in goal difference over Saudi Arabia, meaning they must secure at least a draw to advance as group leaders.
If they finish first in the group, they are likely to face Vietnam, the second-place team from Group C. This scenario would increase their chances of meeting Uzbekistan or Japan, both considered strong contenders, in the finals. Conversely, finishing second could lead to a quarterfinal matchup against Uzbekistan, who is expected to top Group C, creating a challenging path ahead. The team previously faced Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, winning a tough match 4-3.
Additionally, the match will serve as an opportunity to assess Lee Young-jun's condition. He was initially scheduled to join the team on September 14 but arrived in Japan a day earlier due to circumstances with his club. Standing over 190 cm tall, Lee is expected to enhance the team's offensive capabilities with his aerial strength, and there are high hopes for his synergy with Baek Jun-ho (Stoke City), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), and Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City).
Should Lee Min-sung's team secure a gold medal in this tournament, they would achieve an unprecedented fourth consecutive victory in men's soccer at the Asian Games. The team has won gold at the 2014 Incheon Games, the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, and the 2022 Hangzhou Games.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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