S. Korea seek 2nd win in World Cup qualifying round vs. Laos

SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will look to pick up their second win of the ongoing regional World Cup qualifying round when they host Laos on Thursday night. The showdown between the 54th-ranked South Korea and the 177th-ranked Laos will kick off at 8 p.m. at Hwaseong Sports Complex Main Stadium in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, just south of Seoul. South Korea have won all three previous matches against Laos. Most recently, South Korea pounded Laos 9-0 during the 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification in Seoul, with two players, Kim Eun-joong and Seol Ki-hyeon, each scoring a hat trick. It will be South Korea's second match in Group G during the second round of the Asian qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and first at home. On June 16, South Korea defeated Myanmar 2-0. South Korea are also paired with Lebanon and Kuwait in the group. The team will face Lebanon on the road next Tuesday and visit Kuwait on Oct. 8. There are eight groups of five countries in the current round. The eight group winners, plus the four best runners-up, will reach the third round. The second round will continue through March next year. South Korea have played in the past eight World Cup finals. South Korea head coach Uli Stielike has already been short-handed. Forward Lee Jeong-hyeop, a national team mainstay since January, has been sidelined with a facial fracture he suffered during a league match last week. International veterans Son Heung-min, Park Joo-ho and Koo Ja-cheol will be available only on a limited basis after switching clubs recently. Son went from Bayer Leverkusen to Tottenham Hotspur. Park and Koo were once teammates on Mainz 05, but Park has since joined Borussia Dortmund and Koo is now with FC Augsburg. The Korea Football Association (KFA) said it will give these players time to handle the administrative work necessary to complete the moves. Son will only be available against Laos and will not travel to Lebanon. Park remains in Germany and will join the national team in Lebanon. Koo had arrived in South Korea on Sunday but left to go back to Germany hours later to complete his transfer. He won't play Thursday and may or may not be available against Lebanon next week. In lieu of these established stars, Stielike will have to rely on international neophytes. Seongnam FC's Hwang Ui-jo has made the national team for the first time, on the strength of his club-high 10 goals in the current K League Classic season. Hwang has scored more than any other South Korean so far this season. Especially with Lee Jeong-hyeop out of the picture, Hwang will have to pick up the slack for the offensively challenged team. "I didn't expect to be selected, and it's exciting to be here," Hwang told reporters during the first day of training Monday. "I am here to learn as much as I can. It's an important moment in my career, and I'd like to show people everything I have to offer." Another hot offensive star is Suk Hyun-jun, who plays for Vitoria de Setubal in Portugal. Since earning his first national team selection in five years last week, Suk has scored three goals in two matches. "I will fully dedicate myself to the training and matches," Suk said. "I will try to stay active on offense and help out on defense as necessary." Midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, the Swansea City stalwart who has served as South Korean captain under Stielike, was already looking ahead to next week's match in Lebanon. "It's not going to be an easy match for us," Ki said, with South Korea having posted one win, two draws and one loss in Lebanon. "Away matches in the Middle East are often difficult. I've been preparing for it for a long time, and it's important to build confidence with a big victory over Laos." Ki said the South Korean players should look beyond the Asian qualification. "Our primary goal is to qualify for the World Cup, but we have to get past a point where we're satisfied with beating other Asian teams," Ki added. "I know our coach will have a bigger goal in mind. If we follow his lead, then we will have a good run in the World Cup finals." jeeho@yna.co.kr