Nat'l football team looking to end year on winning note vs. Qatar

Doha, Nov. 15 - South Korea's national football team aims to conclude 2026 with a winning record as they face Qatar in their final friendly match of the year. Scheduled for 5 p.m. local time (11 p.m. South Korean time) on Tuesday, the match will be the last international game for the Taegeuk Warriors, who are struggling in the wake of their 3-2 defeat to Saudi Arabia last Friday.

Robert Moreno, the team's caretaker manager, expressed the need for improvement across all aspects of the game. Moreno, who took over in September to replace Hong Myung-bo, is under contract until the AFC Asian Cup, which has been postponed to December 2027 due to security concerns. Despite a strong start with a 3-0 win over Ecuador, South Korea has struggled, losing to Uruguay and drawing with Venezuela.

The team's inconsistent performances, particularly in buildup and pressing, have been a concern under Moreno's management.