Palestine vs Korea Republic
Palestine and South Korea will meet anew in the ongoing World Cup 2026 Asian qualifiers, and a lot has changed between these two sides since they last faced off.
When these two teams clashed in Seoul last September, Palestine shocked the world when they held South Korea to a goalless draw.
But since then, South Korea are back at the top of Group B with 13 points, while Palestine are at the bottom with only two points. Hong Myung-Bo’s side is on a four-game winning streak, while Makram Daboub’s men have had a lacklustre run of World Cup 2026 results.
The circumstances are much different when these two teams convene at the Amman International Stadium on Monday.
South Korea can play with a sense of freedom since they’ve likely booked their ticket to the World Cup, as per the SBOTOP World Cup 2026 odds, while Palestine are out to salvage some pride, aiming to avoid finishing at the bottom.
Talking Points
Son hits new milestone with South Korea
Heung-Min Son missed last month’s qualifiers due to his nagging injuries, but he came back with aplomb during their 3-1 win against Kuwait on Thursday.
The Tottenham captain put the Taeguk Warriors up by two goals by converting his penalty kick in the 19th minute, nine minutes after Oh Se-Hun’s powerful header.
Mohammad Daham scored during the hour mark for Kuwait to half the deficit, but Bae Jun-Ho made the game safe for South Korea by scoring their third goal 14 minutes later.
Heung-Min Son now has 50 goals in 130 caps for South Korea, making him the joint-second leading scorer in the national team alongside Hwang Sun-Hong, the previous interim coach of the Taeguk Warriors following Jurgen Klinsmann’s sacking.
The 32-year-old winger is nine goals away from becoming South Korea’s all-time leading scorer. Heung-Min Son is also seven appearances away from becoming South Korea’s all-time caps leader.
With nine goals in this tournament, Heung-Min Son is second behind Almoez Ali in the Golden Boot race, and a hat-trick this weekend puts him level on top with his Qatari counterpart.
But more than anything, keeping Son sharp and healthy is South Korea’s utmost priority. With that said, don’t be surprised if Hong Myung-Bo rotates the Spurs skipper on Monday.
Time is running out for Palestine
After holding South Korea to a goalless draw, Palestine were given a harsh reality check by Jordan, as they lost 3-1.
Palestine performed better against Iraq (1-0), Kuwait (2-2), and Oman (1-0), but getting their first win in the third round proved to be difficult, and it’s back to the drawing board for them.
Wessam Abou Ali has been the team’s brightest spot here in the third round, as the Al Ahly forward found the back of the net twice against Jordan and Kuwait.
The future is bright for the 25-year-old, as he’s the reigning Golden Boot winner in the Egyptian Premier League after scoring 18 goals last term. Wessam Abou Ali gives Palestine something to look forward to as they rebuild their national football team.
In the bigger picture, getting this far is already a huge achievement in itself for Palestine since they’ve had bigger problems at home, given their ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
History
The first-ever competitive matchup between Palestine and South Korea didn’t disappoint, especially if you’re a supporter of the former.
The Taeguk Warriors looked shaky at the back, and they almost fell to a 1-0 hole against the Lions of Canaan during the 22nd minute, only for Palestine’s effort to be adjudged as offside.
South Korea’s best chance to score was when Lee Kang-In tested Rami Hamadeh on various occasions. Heung-Min also had his chance late in this game, but his ball hit the woodwork.
Because of their subpar performance, Hong Myung-Bo was jeered by the home crowd at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
But since then, South Korea have beaten Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait via an aggregate tally of 11-4, while Palestine notched three losses against Jordan, Iraq, and Oman and one draw against Kuwait.
While South Korea are expected to punch their tickets to the World Cup, Jordan, Iraq, and Oman are vying for the second seed behind the Taeguk Warriors, while Kuwait and Palestine are unlikely to qualify, even for the fourth round.
Palestine have never qualified for the World Cup, and they may have to wait for their first. South Korea, on the other hand, are a regular fixture in the quadrennial meet, with their best finish being a trip to the Round of 16 in 2010 and 2022.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
