On October 15, 2024, the Korea Republic National Football Team faced off against the Iraq Football Team at the Yongin Mireu Stadium in Yongin-si, for a pivotal match in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ AFC Qualifiers. Both teams have rich football histories, with Korea Republic aiming to extend their unbeaten run in the tournament, while Iraq sought to secure a vital win to enhance their qualification hopes. This encounter turned out to be a thrilling contest, marked by five goals, yellow cards, and intense action from start to finish.
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Head to Head
Historically, Korea Republic has enjoyed a favorable record against Iraq, with 3 wins and 2 draws in their last five encounters. Iraq, on the other hand, has been winless in recent meetings, which added extra pressure on them to break this streak and stay competitive in the qualification race. Korea Republic came into this match on a 5-game unbeaten streak, while Iraq had been more inconsistent, showing mixed results in their recent fixtures.
| Team | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Korea Republic | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Iraq | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Lineups
Korea Republic (4-2-3-1)
- Goalkeeper: Jo Hyeonwoo
- Defenders: Lee Myungjae, Kim Minjae, Cho Yumin, Seol Youngwoo
- Midfielders: Hwang Inbeom, Park Yongwoo, Lee Jaesung, Lee Kangin, Moon Seonmin
- Forward: Oh Sehun
Substitutions:
- Paik Seungho (85’), Hong Hyunseok (85’), Lee Seungwoo (87’), Oh Hyeongyu (59’), Moon Seonmin (59’)
Iraq (4-1-4-1):
- Goalkeeper: Jalal Hassan (C)
- Defenders: Rebin Ghareeb, Ali Faez, Ahmed Al Hajjaj, Mustafa Saadoon
- Midfielders: Ibrahim Bayesh, Amjed Attwan, Amir Al-Ammari, Lucas Shlimon, Ahmed Yaseen
- Forward: Aymen Hussein
Substitutions:
- Ali Jasim (45’), Ahmed Yaseen (85’), Hussein Ali (79’), Mohamed Hussein Al Khafaji (65’), Mohanad Ali (79’)
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team First Half
The match started with Korea Republic asserting their dominance early on, with Oh Sehun testing Iraq’s goalkeeper Jalal Hassan within the first few minutes. Iraq responded with a couple of counterattacks, but it was Korea Republic who opened the scoring in the 41st minute. Bae Junho delivered a perfect assist for Oh Sehun, who calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper, giving the home side a 1-0 lead at halftime.
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Half-Time Score:
Korea Republic 1 – 0 Iraq
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Second Half
The second half began with Iraq coming out stronger, and their efforts paid off when Aymen Hussein equalized in the 50th minute after a brilliant assist from Amjed Attwan. This leveled the score at 1-1, and the match opened up from there. However, Korea Republic regained the lead in the 74th minute when substitute Oh Hyeongyu found the net, giving the hosts a 2-1 advantage.
The game intensified as Iraq pushed for another equalizer, but Korea Republic extended their lead to 3-1 in the 83rd minute through Lee Jaesung, assisted by Lee Myungjae. Just as the match seemed settled, Iraq’s Ibrahim Bayesh pulled one back in stoppage time, making it 3-2 in the 90+5th minute, assisted by Ali Jasim. Despite their late push, Iraq ran out of time, and Korea Republic secured the win.
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Full-Time Score:
Korea Republic 3 – 2 Iraq
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Timeline
| Minute | Event |
| 4’ | Oh Sehun (Korea Republic) attempts a shot, saved. |
| 41’ | Goal! Oh Sehun (Korea Republic, 1-0). |
| 50’ | Goal! Aymen Hussein (Iraq, 1-1). |
| 74’ | Goal! Oh Hyeongyu (Korea Republic, 2-1). |
| 83’ | Goal! Lee Jaesung (Korea Republic, 3-1). |
| 90+5’ | Goal! Ibrahim Bayesh (Iraq, 3-2). |
| 90+6’ | Final whistle, Korea Republic wins 3-2. |
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Stats
| Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Stats | Korea Republic | Iraq |
| Possession (%) | 55% | 45% |
| Shots on Target | 7 | 5 |
| Total Shots | 13 | 10 |
| Corners | 4 | 5 |
| Fouls | 10 | 13 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 2 |
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Impact on Points Table
The win solidified Korea Republic’s position at the top of the Group B table with 10 points, maintaining their unbeaten record in the qualifiers. Iraq, despite their valiant effort, dropped crucial points but remained in second place with 7 points.
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Korea Republic | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 10 |
| Iraq | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 7 |
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Man of the Match
Oh Sehun, with his opening goal and constant threat up front, was named Man of the Match. His contribution set the tone for Korea Republic’s victory, making him a standout performer.
Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team Commentary
90’+6′
- Yellow Card – Iraq: Ali Faez (Iraq) receives a yellow card after a reckless challenge.
- Yellow Card – Korea Republic: Moon Seonmin (Korea Republic) is also booked for unsporting behavior in the dying minutes of the game.
- Offside – Korea Republic: H.S. Hong (Korea Republic) is flagged offside, halting a promising attack.
90’+5′ – GOAL!
- Iraq 2-3 Korea Republic: Ibrahim Bayesh (Iraq) scores with a brilliant finish, narrowing the deficit to 3-2. Ali Jasim provided the assist from a well-placed corner kick.
90’+2′
- Corner – Iraq: Ali Jasim (Iraq) takes another corner as Iraq presses hard for an equalizer.
88′
- Foul – Iraq: Mohanad Ali (Iraq) commits a foul, slowing down the momentum of the match.
87′
- Substitution – Korea Republic: Lee Seungwoo replaces Lee Jaesung, as Korea Republic look to manage the final minutes.
- Offside – Iraq: Mohanad Ali (Iraq) is caught offside.
- Resume Time – Iraq: The referee resumes the game after a brief pause.
86′
- Pause Time – Iraq: The referee stops the game momentarily.
85′
- Substitution – Iraq: Ahmed Yaseen replaces Amir Al-Ammari to add fresh legs to the Iraqi attack.
- Substitution – Korea Republic: Hong Hyunseok comes on for Lee Kangin. Paik Seungho also replaces Park Yongwoo as Korea looks to solidify their midfield.
83′ – GOAL!
- Korea Republic 3-1 Iraq: Lee Jaesung (Korea Republic) scores after a precise assist from Lee Myungjae, increasing Korea Republic’s lead.
82′
- Offside – Iraq: Ibrahim Bayesh (Iraq) is ruled offside as Iraq continues to chase the game.
81′
- Yellow Card – Korea Republic: Lee Jaesung (Korea Republic) is booked for a tactical foul to break down Iraq’s attacking play.
- Foul – Korea Republic: Lee Jaesung commits the foul that earned him the booking.
79′
- Foul – Iraq: Mohanad Ali (Iraq) is penalized for a foul.
- Substitution – Iraq: Mohanad Ali is replaced by Aymen Hussein, and Hussein Ali comes on for Mustafa Saadoon.
74′ – GOAL!
- Korea Republic 2-1 Iraq: Oh Hyeongyu (Korea Republic) finds the back of the net with a composed finish, restoring Korea Republic’s lead.
71′
- Yellow Card – Iraq: Mustafa Saadoon (Iraq) is shown a yellow card for a foul.
- Foul – Iraq: Mustafa Saadoon is the culprit once again, disrupting Korea Republic’s play.
70′
- Corner – Iraq: Ali Jasim (Iraq) delivers a corner, but the Korean defense holds firm.
69′
- Goal Prevention – Korea Republic: Park Yongwoo (Korea Republic) makes a crucial block, denying Iraq a clear shot on goal.
68′
- Offside – Korea Republic: Moon Seonmin (Korea Republic) is caught offside as the team attempts to press for another goal.
- Attempt at Goal – Iraq: Hussain (Iraq) tries his luck but fails to hit the target.
65′
- Substitution – Iraq: Mohamed Hussein Al Khafaji replaces Amjed Attwan to inject new energy into Iraq’s attack.
64′
- Resume Time – Iraq: Play resumes after a brief pause.
62′
- Foul – Korea Republic: Cho Yumin (Korea Republic) is called for a foul.
59′
- Substitution – Korea Republic: Moon Seonmin replaces Bae Junho, while Oh Hyeongyu takes over from Oh Sehun to keep Korea Republic fresh upfront.
- Foul – Iraq: Rebin Ghareeb (Iraq) commits a foul.
57′
- Foul – Iraq: Amjed Attwan (Iraq) is penalized for a challenge.
56′
- Foul – Korea Republic: Lee Kangin (Korea Republic) fouls an Iraqi player.
- Goal Prevention – Iraq: Ahmed Al Hajjaj (Iraq) blocks a powerful shot from Korea Republic, keeping the scoreline close.
50′ – GOAL!
- Iraq 1-1 Korea Republic: Aymen Hussein (Iraq) equalizes after a well-timed pass from Amjed Attwan.
48′
- Foul – Korea Republic: Oh Sehun (Korea Republic) is penalized for a foul early in the second half.
HALF-TIME
- Korea Republic leads Iraq 1-0 after Oh Sehun’s goal. Both teams have had their chances, but Korea holds the advantage heading into the break.
45′
- Substitution – Iraq: Ali Jasim replaces Lucas Shlimon as Iraq looks to bolster their attack before the break.
44′
- Offside – Korea Republic: Bae Junho (Korea Republic) is caught offside.
41′ – GOAL!
- Korea Republic 1-0 Iraq: Oh Sehun (Korea Republic) opens the scoring, assisted by Bae Junho, with a clinical finish inside the box.
38′
- Attempt at Goal – Iraq: Hussain (Iraq) tries an effort on goal but misses the target.
- Attempt at Goal – Iraq: Ibrahim Bayesh (Iraq) takes a shot, but it goes wide.
35′
- Yellow Card – Korea Republic: Park Yongwoo (Korea Republic) is shown a yellow card for a poor challenge.
- Pause Time – Iraq: The referee temporarily halts the game.
30′
- Attempt at Goal – Iraq: Ahmed Al Hajjaj (Iraq) goes for goal but is denied.
29′
- Corner – Iraq: Amir Al-Ammari (Iraq) delivers a corner, but Korea Republic clears the danger.
19′
- Foul – Iraq: Amjed Attwan (Iraq) concedes a foul.
15′
- Foul – Iraq: Ibrahim Bayesh (Iraq) is penalized for a foul.
12′
- Foul – Korea Republic: Kim Minjae (Korea Republic) commits a foul.
8′
- Attempt at Goal – Korea Republic: Hwang Inbeom (Korea Republic) has a shot on goal, but it’s saved.
7′
- Foul – Iraq: Lucas Shlimon (Iraq) fouls a Korean player.
4′
- Attempt at Goal – Korea Republic: Oh Sehun (Korea Republic) gets an early shot on goal, but it’s blocked.
- Corner – Korea Republic: Hwang Inbeom (Korea Republic) takes the corner, but Iraq defends well.
3′
- Goal Prevention – Iraq: Rebin Ghareeb (Iraq) makes a crucial block, keeping Korea Republic from taking the lead early.
2′
- Offside – Iraq: Ibrahim Bayesh (Iraq) is flagged offside in the opening minutes of the match.
The Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team clash proved to be a high-stakes, thrilling encounter. Korea Republic continued their unbeaten run in the qualifiers with a 3-2 win, while Iraq, despite a strong fight, couldn’t overcome their defensive lapses. This result strengthened Korea Republic’s grip on the group, while Iraq will need to regroup for their upcoming fixtures to keep their qualification hopes alive.
FAQs
- Who scored the winning goal in the Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team match?
- Lee Jaesung scored the decisive third goal for Korea Republic in the 83rd minute.
- How did Iraq perform in the second half in the Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team match?
- Iraq made a strong comeback, equalizing early in the second half, but they couldn’t capitalize on their momentum and ultimately fell short.
- Who was the standout player in the Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team match?
- Oh Sehun was the standout player for Korea Republic, contributing significantly to the team’s win.
- What was the impact on the points table after the Korea Republic National Football Team vs Iraq Football Team?
- Korea Republic extended their lead at the top of Group B, while Iraq remained in second place despite the loss.
