Overview

• South Korea lead Group B with 16 points from four wins and four draws in third-round Asian qualifying and need only one more point to book their 11th consecutive World Cup appearance.
• Coach Hong Myung-bo said he will use captain Son Heung-min conservatively in the upcoming matches against Iraq on June 5 and Kuwait on June 10 following the forward’s return from a month-long foot injury.
• Son missed around a month from mid-April to mid-May and saw limited action for Tottenham Hotspur in their Europa League final victory as he regains match fitness.
• Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in and Wolverhampton forward Hwang Hee-chan have maintained their conditioning through recent club training, including Lee’s Champions League win.
• If South Korea do not secure a point in Basra, they will have a final chance to qualify at home in Seoul against Kuwait.