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HONG KONG - Son Heung-min and South Korea must move on from their turbulent Asian Cup campaign when they return to World Cup qualifying on March 21.
Japan will take on North Korea in a double-header that sees them travel to Pyongyang.
Asian football is back this week on the road to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a month after Qatar retained the continental crown on home soil with a 3-1 victory over Jordan.
Much has happened since South Korea were dumped out 2-0 by unfancied Jordan in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup, including the sacking of their coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
It emerged that skipper Son and Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder Lee Kang-in had been involved in a fracas on the eve of the match, leaving the Tottenham Hotspur forward with a dislocated finger.
Former German striker Klinsmann was dismissed after having promised to take South Korea to their first Asian title in 64 years.
He was replaced on an interim basis by Hwang Sun-hong.
This story is from the March 20, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the March 20, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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