FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Son Heung-Min scores but Thailand hold South Korea

NEW DELHI: Son Heung-min scored but South Korea was held 1-1 at home by Thailand in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday in their first match since the sacking of Jurgen Klinsmann. It was also the first game since revelations about a bust-up between skipper Son and Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in at the Asian Cup, where South Korea lost 2-0 to Jordan in the last four.

Son was left with a dislocated finger in the fracas at their team hotel in Qatar on the eve of the semifinal.

Lee started on the bench on Thursday but came on soon after Thailand grabbed a shock equaliser in Seoul, with Suphanat Mueanta firing in from close range just after the hour. Despite the stalemate, South Korea is still on course to reach the next stage of qualifying for 2026 and sit top of its group with seven points from three matches.

With under-23 coach Hwang Sun-hong taking temporary charge following the dismissal as coach of the German Klinsmann, the host side took the lead three minutes before half-time. Agencies

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