South Korea edge past Iraq to go clear at top of 2026 World Cup qualifying group

Australia and Japan settle for a point apiece after 1-1 draw in heavyweight west Asian clash

South Korea celebrate their second goal scored by Oh Hyun-gyu. Reuters

Iraq's Aymen Hussein scores their first goal. Reuters

Iraq's Aymen Hussein celebrates scoring their first goal. Reuters

Aymen Hussein of Iraq celebrates scoring. Getty Images

Amjed Attwan of Iraq is tackled by Park Yong-woo of South Korea . Getty Images

South Korea's Oh Se-hun celebrates with his teammates after scoring against Iraq. AP

South Korea opened up a three-point cushion at the top of Group B after beating Iraq 3-2 in the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.

The win took the Koreans on to 10 points with Iraq three behind as the hosts moved a step closer to sealing a place at the main event in two years' time.

Only the top two sides in each of three groups of six are guaranteed safe passage to the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico, with the third and fourth-placed teams consigned to another round of play-offs.

Stoke City’s Bae Jun-ho came into South Korea's starting line-up at the Yongin Mireu Stadium in place of the injured Hwang Hee-chan and was involved early on but saw his shot blocked by the Iraqi defence.

The visitors fashioned their best chance of the half in the 38th minute when Rebin Sulaka’s long pass found Aymen Hussein who had dropped in behind Kim Min-jae but the forward couldn’t direct his header on target.

South Korea took the lead three minutes later following a flowing move starting with Seol Young-woo on the right, his cross finding Bae who laid it on for Oh Se-hun to sweep home his first international goal.

Iraq introduced Ali Jasim in place of Lucas Shlimon at the start of the second half and were rewarded when the youngster’s mazy run opened up space for Amjed Attwan to deliver a cross that was finished with an overhead kick by Hussein.

Home coach Hong Myung-bo reacted to the equaliser by making two substitutions with goalscorer Oh replaced by Oh Hyeon-gyu and Moon Seon-min taking the place of Bae. The duo then combined for a 74th minute goal – Moon’s driving run on the left creating an opportunity for Hyeon-gyu to slam home.

The hosts sealed victory nine minutes later when Lee produced a diving header to meet Lee Myung-jae’s cross, with Iraq pulling one back in the fifth minute of added time through Ibrahim Bayesh’s header.

Elsewhere, Japan’s perfect start to Group C came to an end as Tony Popovic’s Australia eked out a 1-1 draw with an own goal at either end at the Saitama Stadium.

Shogo Taniguchi’s blunder in the 58th minute had given the Australians an unlikely lead, and it took an error at the other end from Cameron Burgess 14 minutes from time to secure a point for Hajime Moriyasu’s side.

The draw moves the Japanese on to 10 points from four games. Australia move on to five points from four games, with four of those claimed since Popovic replaced Graham Arnold as head coach late last month.

Japan dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first half, with a deflected Kaoru Mitoma shot their best effort.

Takumi Minamino headed wide at the back post as Japan started the second half with the same attacking intent.

But Australia took a shock lead just a minute later when Sint-Truiden defender Taniguchi turned Lewis Miller's cross into his own net.

Burgess suffered the same fate for Australia soon after when he redirected substitute Keito Nakamura's cross into his own goal.