The Iraqi national team suffered another painful defeat against their South Korean counterpart, losing 2-0 in the match held at Basra International Stadium, as part of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The South Korean team dominated the match with 75% possession, compared to only 25% for the Iraqi team, reflecting the clear difference in control and rhythm of the game from start to finish.

The South Korean players took 13 shots on goal, 7 of which were on target, while Iraq managed only 5 shots, none of which posed any significant threat to the confident South Korean goalkeeper.

The number of passes completed by South Korea reached 654 with an accuracy of 87%, while Iraq completed only 221 passes with a success rate of 64%, highlighting the technical gap between the two teams on the field.

With this loss, Iraq's points remain at 12, while the Koreans topped the group with 19 points, securing their direct qualification for the World Cup alongside the Jordanian team.

Despite attempts from Ali Ibrahim Al-Hamadi since the beginning of the first half, Iraq failed to penetrate the solid South Korean defense and lacked connectivity between the three lines.

The loss to Korea is not the first, as the Iraqi team had previously lost 3-2 in the first leg, suffering two defeats against the same opponent during the qualifiers, which shows South Korea's clear superiority.

The South Korean team made successful substitutions, bringing in player Lee Jin-kyu instead of Oh Hyun-kyu in the 82nd minute, followed by a substitution in the 63rd minute with Kim Jin-kyu exiting and Lee Kang-in entering, which increased the pressure on Iraq's defense.

The match also saw South Korea excel in discipline, with Iraqi players receiving 4 yellow cards compared to just one for Korea, demonstrating the difference in calmness and focus between the two teams.

The recent results for the Iraqi national team raise concerns, especially with a series of defeats and draws, indicating that they need to reassess their situation quickly if they want to maintain hope for World Cup qualification.