Nervy win for Korea in World Cup Qualifications as they had to overcome a 1-2 HT deficit, a red card to Hong Jeong-ho and a very suspect referee who gave blatantly incorrect rulings on field to eventually grab 3 points from Qatar with a 3-2 result at Suwon World Cup Stadium.

Questions about Uli Stielike after lackluster win over China and scoreless draw with Syria last month weren’t eased up as the defensive lapses and inability to efficiently covert chances amounted to a shocking 1-2 lead for Qatar going into the locker room, with Ki Sung-Yeung’s early 7th minute goal the only punctuation mark for good possession but saw instead Qatar goals against the run of form. We’ll bring you up to speed after the jump, stay tuned…

Korea started brightly, with this starting lineup:

https://twitter.com/theKFA/status/783969700539576320

The early surge led to Son finding Ki, the Swansea midfielder’s long distance 25′ shot from the edge of the area scooted along the ground and on into the net; excellent vision to pick out a weak spot and Korea was on top 1-0. Ki nearly doubled the lead a minute later, While Korea kept up the attack, they weren’t ruthless enough to find the back of the net. Suk Hyun-Jun had beaten the Qatar defense on a cross but in front of net, merely headed it over the bar.

On a counter, Qatar’s Soriano ‘earned’ a PK and a Hong Jeong-Ho yellow card for pulling him down – though on replays, it was very questionable, and one can see it looked like Soriano fell on his own accord in the area. Ref saw it otherwise (the first of many highly questionable decisions). Hassan Haydos converts, Korea 1:1 Qatar.

Suk Hyun-Jun had a difficult 1st half, unable to dribble through Qatar’s defense – final third attacks for Korea looked more and more anemic. Qatar took advantage, and on another fast counter, thanks to Hong Jeong-ho’s mis-clearance, allowed Soriano to shoot, then scrambled past the Korean defense who bunched up on the left and connected with his teammate’s pass to knock it past Kim Seung-Gyu. Suddenly, Korea was on the backfoot, down 2-1 to a team who has traditionally struggled to score. It also blew down the house of cards illusion about Korea’s stalwart defensive record – perhaps attributed more to past Asian opponent’s lack of clinical finishing than defensive prowess. Korea’s attack before HT saw a Ki shot on target, blocked by a Qatar defender’s hand. Despite a good angle to view, the ref didn’t call it while Ki argued for handball.

Darkness fell on Suwon as muttering from the netizens descended. The honeymoon has already been over for Uli – could this be the end? I tweeted this out during the break:

As we begin 2nd half, as long as Korea doesn't panic, change tactics, they can break thru 5 backline Qatar defense. Wookie on — Taeguk Warriors (@taeguk_warrior) October 6, 2016

Suk out/Kim Shin-Wook in was the HT change and with it some tactical tweaking -the narrative more than suggests it worked. In a nutmeg of a nutshell: it did work.

First: left back Hong Chul picks out the Wookie, surrounded by Qatar CBs. His height allowed him to head it laterally to his teammates. Initially his header pass deflects off a Qatar defensemen, but the trajectory didn’t really change as 3 attacking Koreans charged into the area. The ball fell to Ji Dong-Won and the Augsburg forward continued his club form, settled the ball momentarily – and as the crowd gasped for a split second wondering whether Qatar’s defense would smoother the chance, Ji calmly knocks it clinically into the bottom left corner of the net: GOAL! Korea 2:2 Qatar.

Less than 2 minutes later Korea was back on the attack, Jung Woo-Young (I think it was him, replay hard to make out exactly) as the lone holding mid, calmly finds Ki Sung-Yeung on the left, immediately tees up Son who breaks through the defense and one times it into the back of the net – Korea 3 : 2 Qatar! The comeback nearly completed, the narrative was interrupted with another questionable decision: a second yellow card for Hong Jeong-Ho on Soriano. It was a foul for sure – but extremely harsh decision as it wasn’t dangerous collision, just a tangle over the ball. Just like that, with 20 minutes to play, Korea had to defend the fragile lead. Stielike brought on CB Kwak Tae-Hwi for Koo Ja-Cheol. More questionable decisions, some really outrageous as Kim Shin-Wook kept getting fouled, but the ref remarkably called it for Qatar instead. Here’s another example:

Ref is completely wrong, replays show Ji yellow card extremely harsh -considering he didn't even touch Qatar player that slipped !! — Taeguk Warriors (@taeguk_warrior) October 6, 2016

Ki hurt: set piece defending, Kim Seung-gyu falls over his head and crunches his back and neck. Ref gives him yellow for time wasting?! — Taeguk Warriors (@taeguk_warrior) October 6, 2016

The litany of outrageously poor referee decisions by Mohd Amirul (Malaysia) and assistant refs Mohd Yusri and Mohamed Abidin (also from Malaysia) started to garner further scrutiny:

How many times can Wookie be fouled before ref actually calls it? I'm not prone 2conspiracy theories but beginning to wonder about this ref — Taeguk Warriors (@taeguk_warrior) October 6, 2016

I’m calling for the AFC to investigate these refs. I don’t want to outright accuse the refs of bribery for kind decisions to Qatar (who is hosting the 2022 WC) without any direct proof, but the on field decisions were beyond ridiculous. The AFC needs to review and deliver consequences to these refs at the very least.

20 tense minutes with terrible ref calls later and Korea hangs on for the win. Kim Seung-Gyu made some decent -slightly nervy -but decent saves through a wave of direct free kicks towards the end. Son breakaway promising – but out of gas couldn’t find the open Korean (not sure who was at the top of the area). Taking out Son who was out of gas and installing Kimbo should’ve been done sooner by Stielike- still the former Cardiff city man was bursting with energy and kept Korea from falling on backfoot.

4 minutes added time came and went:

https://twitter.com/taeguk_warrior/status/784013702726979584

Despite the refs, despite Korea playing a man short, they did enough to win, get 3 points and provisionally are on top of the WCQ group. Update: Iran pulls out 0-1 win at Uzbekistan -tied for points with Korea but goal differential puts them slightly ahead. Guess who Korea plays next?

A few thoughts from the Old Tavern Owner:

Ki Sung-Yeung: excellent performance. 1st goal + superb assist for game winner. Constant menance. Excellent vision: for example picked out Suk Hyun-Jun earlier that resulted in a good chance. Seemed hurt towards the end – need to get his back and neck examined by team doctors asap. My Man of the Match (even though it seems like the KFA called it for Son)

Son Heung-Min: particularly in the 2nd half, maintains his Spurs scoring and dribbling form. Brilliant movement, one timer to find game winning goal. Fouled with his achilles heel badly clipped – hobbling toward the end of his 88′ shift. Dare to send him back to London to recover instead of facing Iran? BTW: he just won this:

(check out the dab post goal celebration) …and 1 more interesting stat to note:

Son Heung-min scores the winner in his 50th cap for Korea. At 24 years and 90 days, he's the 10th youngest Korean to reach 50 intl caps. pic.twitter.com/gqZJX02MqS — Steve Han (@RealSteveScores) October 6, 2016

50th cap + assist + goal winner = Son still on fire : and the puns for this on form player keeps on coming…

Ji Dong-Won: vital goal to equalize, keeps up Augsburg form. Good energy, great hustling.

Kim Bo-Kyung: Should’ve come in sooner!!!! Creative and dangerous players shouldn’t be on the bench – except for a glut of good left wing players for the KNT.

Hong Jeong-Ho: not a great day at office, but red card was extremely harsh. Still, his move to China Super League may not be a good one for his defensive form. Timing seemed off.

No Lee Chung-Yong or Lee Jae-Sung: with yellow cards piling up, Uli needs the Crystal Palace man and the crafty Jeonbuk midfielder desperately for the upcoming Iran match.

Hong Chul provided the cross that found Kim Shin-Wook. Not bad going forward, ok yet not spectacular with defending.

Jung Woo-Young started chain that resulted in 3rd and game winning goal.

Kim Shin-Wook: did well to head ball onto the path of Ji for equalizer. Still, his holdup play up front left further into the 2nd half left something to be desired (footwork not as impressive as his ACL game against FC Seoul either). Perhaps I’m being harsh on the Wookie as he was the target of repeated fouls that the ref overlooked or inexplicably called the other way.

Two ways to look at Uli Stielike’s turn at managing today. Poor AND…better at tweaking with contingency for plan B. His Korea record when Korea conceded first is statistically not prevalent. Korea usually go ahead and either runs up the score against minnows or defend defend defend. This time, narrative suggests Korea displayed the right stuff in composure and mentality to comeback, and yet…on paper, it should not have been this close.

Next up: Iran v Korea Tuesday October 11 at 10:45AM US EST and 11:45 PM Korea time for WCQ. Stakes are high as both are tied on points (7 a piece) on top of Group A, but Iran just a tad ahead on goal differential. Iran yet to concede a goal in this round of WCQ.

Extra time:

Japan barely edges out Iraq at home 2-1 with a 95′ minute goal to squeeze out victory.

China falls 0-1 against Syria. Shocking setback for China, who’s been poring money, money and more money at their football program.

Iran edged out Uzbekistan 0-1. Uzbekistan misses out on opportunity to top Group A.

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