World Cup 2026: Iraq Plan to Sneak In to Avoid the Fourth Round

Iraq vs Korea Republic

Iraq have a golden opportunity to qualify for the World Cup 2026, but they may have to go through a gauntlet to achieve the desired outcome. The Mesopotamian Lions are currently third in Group B with 12 points, though they can still catch up in these next two matchdays. Beating South Korea and Jordan is the ideal scenario for Iraq since they won’t need the fourth round to qualify for the showpiece football event in North America. Newly appointed head coach Graham Arnold will be tasked with helping Iraq see this through.

Meanwhile, South Korea are at the top of Group B with 16 points. Hong Myung-Bo’s side only needs a few more points to confirm their berth in next year’s World Cup. However, the Taeguk Warriors are not in their best form in the Asian qualifiers.

Both teams need a win for different reasons, so continue reading below as we preview this intriguing clash between Iraq and South Korea.

 

Talking Points

Hussein needs help to lift Iraq

Iraq wouldn’t even reach the third round if it weren’t for Aymen Hussein’s exploits in the final third. The Al-Wakrah striker is one of the competition’s top scorers with eight goals, and Hussein is Iraq’s last scorer during their 2-1 loss against Palestine last time out.

Hussein continues to move up in Iraq’s all-time scoring list. After taking solo fifth during the last international break, the 29-year-old can move up to fourth this week. Hussein (32) needs four goals to surpass the late Ali Kadhim (35).

Expect Hussein to be featured heavily under new head coach Graham Arnold, who has experience guiding national teams to the World Cup. Arnold last did it with Australia, leading them to their best World Cup finish (Round of 16) in 2022, and he hopes to do the same for the Mesopotamian Lions.

Besides Hussein, South Korea must also be wary of Mohanad Ali and Ibrahim Bayesh, as they have been scoring recently. Ali and Bayesh have 29 international goals combined.

 

South Korea’s veterans are not 100 percent fit

Head coach Hong Myung-Bo recently confirmed that Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-Jae will not play for the Taeguk Warriors this international break, while they’re sweating on the fitness of team captain Son Heung-Min. Kim has been dealing with a nagging Achilles injury for quite some time now. On the other hand, Son also has a nagging foot problem.

South Korea are coming off three consecutive draws against Palestine, Oman, and Jordan, which are considered bad for their lofty standards. Because they’re getting antsy to clinch their World Cup berth as soon as possible, the Taeguk Warriors are going full force this international break.

​Hong Myung-Bo has selected a host of European-based players and standout domestic players from the K-League. With Son and Kim ailing, we expect the likes of Lee Jae-Sung, Hwang Hee-Chan, Lee Kang-In, Seol Young-Woo, Oh Se-Hun, and Oh Hyeon-Gyu to show up.

 

History

South Korea won 3-2 in their reverse fixture against Iraq last October at Yongin Mireu-Stadion. Oh Se-Hun, Oh Hyeon-Gyu, and Lee Jae-Sung scored for the Taeguk Warriors, while Aymen Hussein and Ibrahim Bayesh scored for the Mesopotamian Lions.

Iraq plan to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986, when they failed to get out of the group stage. On the other hand, South Korea are gunning for their 11th consecutive World Cup berth. Their best finish in the World Cup was fourth place when they hosted it in 2002.

Iraq are on a six-game winless run against South Korea. Their last win against the Taeguk Warriors was a penalty shootout victory during the 2007 AFC Asian Cup semifinals.

 

Betting Tip

The World Cup 2026 odds expect South Korea to end their winless run this Thursday at the Basra International Stadium. The Taeguk Warriors are pegged to win at 2.11, whereas the Mesopotamian Lions aren’t far behind at 3.08, and a draw is at 2.92 in the 1X2 market.

Based on their recent encounters, SBOTOP football fans can expect new World Cup 2026 highlights from this contest. Besides our recommended bet, bettors can also go for options like Over 2.00 at 1.68, Over 2.25 at 1.99, Total Goal 2-3 at 1.98, with Total Goal 4-6 at 4.15 being the more aggressive choice. Furthermore, a Correct Score of 3-2 in favor of South Korea – the result of their most recent qualifiers encounter – could yield a mouthwatering payday of 38.00 your bet.

   

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