Moreno, friendly match against Saudi Arabia and Qatar in November... ‘Mock test’ for adapting to the Middle East

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Oh Myeong-eon = The Korean national soccer team will play two mock tests against Saudi Arabia and Qatar in Doha, Qatar, in November to adapt to the Middle East Asian Cup.

The national soccer team, led by interim coach Robert Moreno, will play two friendly matches against Saudi Arabia and Qatar in Doha, Qatar, on November 13 and 17, respectively.

Kick-off is at 11:30 PM and 11:00 PM, Korean time, respectively.

Both matches will be held in Doha, with the venue details to be confirmed later.

This two-game away game is like a mock test in preparation for the Asian Cup finals scheduled for Saudi Arabia in January next year.

Initially, the plan was to hold the game in Saudi Arabia, the host country of the Asian Cup, but the venue was recently changed to Doha, Qatar, considering the local situation.

The national team plans to improve its ability to adapt to the local environment and fine-tune its tactical combination and organizational skills against the two powerhouses representing the Middle East.

Korea is in a tight battle with Saudi Arabia (55th in FIFA rankings) with a record of 5 wins, 9 draws, and 5 losses.

In the most recent match, the round of 16 of the Qatar Asian Cup in January 2024, Korea won after a bloody penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw.

Against Qatar (60th), they have an advantage with 6 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses.

In their most recent match, they won 2-1 in a friendly match in Austria in November 2020.