SEOUL (Reuters) – Captain Son Heung-min believes poor pitches have contributed to South Korea’s stuttering World Cup qualifying campaign after the Taeguk Warriors were held to two home 1-1 draws in the March international window.
South Korea still top Group B by three points after the draws with Oman in Goyang last Thursday and Jordan in Suwon on Tuesday but would have booked their ticket to the finals had they won either game.
The matches were moved to regional cities because of poor pitch conditions at the Seoul World Cup Stadium but Son clearly did not find the surfaces in Goyang and Suwon much better.
“I think there’s a reason why we’ve had better results in away matches,” the Tottenham Hotspur forward told Yonhap News Agency.
“When we’re at home, we’re supposed to enjoy the best playing conditions possible, but things have not improved at all.
“I know we can play better than this, but when conditions on our home soil get in the way, then I wonder where we should get our home field advantage.
“I know this may sound like an excuse, but every small detail matters in football. It can make the difference of getting one point or getting three points. I hope people will pay closer attention to it.”
South Korea will secure their place in the finals for the 11th successive World Cup if they avoid defeat when they play Iraq in Basra on June 5 before returning home for their final round-three qualifier against Kuwait on June 10.
Son said the South Korean players should humbly accept the lessons of the Jordan draw but added that he would be urging his younger teammates to hold their heads high.
“Despite this disappointment, we’re still leading our group and that’s a fact. We want to stay there until the end of the round,” he said.
“For our young players, it can be an honour to play for the country but it can also put a lot of pressure on them.
“I told them if we just keep working at it, we will finish in first place. I think the most important thing for these young guys is not to lose their confidence.”
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
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