National team faces Kuwait in World Cup qualifiers, Son Heung-min to start

[Anchor]

The national football team is set to challenge their fourth consecutive win in the third round of the North and Central America World Cup qualifiers against Kuwait shortly.

Son Heung-min, who has returned from injury, has been selected to start despite concerns.

Reporter Lee Jun-hee reports from Kuwait.

[Report]

The time has come for the decisive match that marks the beginning of the two consecutive away games in the Middle East, which will be the biggest hurdle in the third round of the World Cup qualifiers.

In about an hour, a match against Kuwait will take place at theJaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium.

The evening temperature is below 25 degrees, and with a cool breeze, the condition of the grass, which had been a concern in Korea, is at its best.

The players' eyes were captivated by the pristine carpet-like grass during their first and last training session to adapt to the stadium.

Lee Kang-in expressed admiration while pointing to the ground, and captain Son Heung-min also showed satisfaction by touching and pressing the grass.

The training of the national team, which is gaining confidence as they dominate the third round qualifiers, was filled with laughter.

On the other hand, Kuwait, ranked 135th in FIFA and on a downward trend since the 2000s, has yet to secure a win in the third round qualifiers.

However, coach Hong Myung-bo stated that there will be no complacency and expressed his intention to push hard from the start.

[Hong Myung-bo / National Football Team Coach: "Since this is an away game and considering the overall preparation period, I told the players that the most important thing is how well we prepare and how strong our mindset is for this match."]

Amid concerns about his physical condition, captain Son Heung-min's starting position has been confirmed after coach Hong's careful consideration until the last moment.

If the national team, which is gradually overcoming the fear of the away games in the Middle East, can defeat Kuwait, their chances of qualifying for the finals for the 11th consecutive time will significantly increase.

This is Lee Jun-hee reporting for KBS News from Kuwait.