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| Korea's Son Heung-min shoots during the World Cup group H soccer match between Uruguay and Korea, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Nov. 24. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
Well before the end of the group stage, Asian teams have already tied the record for most victories at a single FIFA World Cup. Korea will try to pick up the record-setting win when they face Ghana in their second Group H match on Monday.
There are six members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in action at this year's World Cup, with the host Qatar joined by qualifiers Korea, Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Australia.
Qatar have already been eliminated from knockout contention with two consecutive losses, but four of the five qualifiers have notched a victory each, with Korea as the exception.
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| Korean players form a huddle before the World Cup group H soccer match between Uruguay and Korea, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Nov. 24. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
Australia's 1-0 win over Tunisia on Saturday was the fourth by an AFC team, tying the record set in 2002 and matched in 2010 and 2018.
Korea and Japan were co-hosts of the 2002 competition, and they each posted two victories.
Eight years later in South Africa, Japan picked up two wins, while Korea and Australia had a win apiece.
In 2018, Korea, Japan, Iran and Saudi Arabia each recorded a W.
This year, Saudi Arabia got the ball rolling for the AFC by shocking Argentina 2-1 on Tuesday. Japan followed that up with their own upset, beating Germany 2-1 the very next day.
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| Australia's team gather in a huddle after they won the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group D football match between Tunisia and Australia at the Al-Janoub Stadium in Al-Wakrah, south of Doha, Nov.26. AFP-Yonhap |
Iran then blanked Wales 2-0 on Friday before Australia also got into the win column on Saturday.
Korea had a goalless draw with Uruguay in their first Group H match Thursday and will take another crack at a win on Monday against Ghana.
Japan may have the honor of breaking the AFC wins record on Sunday, when they play Costa Rica, who suffered a 7-0 loss to Spain in their first Group E match.
Other than Qatar, the five other AFC teams are still alive in their pursuit of knockout berths, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the last 16.
Through two matches, Iran are in second place in Group B with three points, and Australia are in the same position in Group D, also with three points.
Saudi Arabia are in third in Group C with three points. Argentina also have three points but have a plus-one goal difference, compared to minus-one for Saudi Arabia.
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| Iran's Rouzbeh Cheshmi scores the opening goal during the World Cup group B soccer match between Wales and Iran, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Friday, Nov. 25. AP-Yonhap |
In Group E, Japan are tied with Spain at the top with three points after one match.
A victory over Ghana will also take Korea a step closer to the round of 16, with Portugal being their final Group H opponent on Friday.
The AFC has never had more than two countries in the knockouts at a World Cup. That has happened twice, in 2002 and in 2010. On both occasions, Korea and Japan represented the AFC in the knockout stage. (Yonhap)
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