South Korea captain Son Heung-min demanded better field conditions at the national team’s main stadium in Seoul, following his team’s 3-1 win over Oman in a World Cup qualifier on what he said was a great pitch in Muscat Tuesday night.

Son was involved in all South Korean goals at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, as he netted the go-ahead goal in the 82nd minute and assisted the two other goals that bookended his marker.

The victory came five days after South Korea, ranked 23rd, settled for a goalless draw against 96th-ranked Palestine at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Son Heung-min of South Korea celebrates after scoring against Oman during the teams’ Group B match in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualification at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat on Sept. 10, 2024. (Yonhap)

The pitch at the stadium, long known as the mecca of South Korean football, was noticeably bumpy and patch. And problems with field conditions aren’t new for Seoul World Cup Stadium, which serves as home of the K League 1 club
FC Seoul and also hosts national team matches, music concerts and other non-sporting events throughout the year.

Son said after the Palestine match that he and his teammates were not able to play at a high tempo because of the subpar pitch, and added pitch conditions are often better for away matches than for home matches.

That turned out to be the case Tuesday in Muscat.

“The field was in such excellent shape that we played with confidence,” Son said in a televised interview. “I hope conditions at our home stadium (in Seoul) will continue to improve.”

As is his custom, Son deflected credit and praised his teammates for their collective effort.

Son Heung-min of South Korea celebrates after scoring against Oman during the teams’ Group B match in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualification at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat on Sept. 10, 2024. (Yonhap)

“Winning never gets old. And to keep winning, everyone has to sacrifice and work hard,” Son said. “And I think everyone did their part today
, and that’s why we were able to come away with such a good result.”

This was South Korea’s second Group B match in the third round of the Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. With Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait also in the same group, South Korea have eight more matches to go until June next year.

“We’ll try to play the best match of our lives every time out,” Son said. “Asian teams have made so much progress that as an Asian myself, it makes me proud. It was great to play such a high-quality match, and we’ll have to work even harder. Whether we play at home or away, I think every match will be difficult.”

Source: Yonhap News Agency