Amman: South Korea's lead in their group for the Asian World Cup qualifiers has been reduced to three points, following the final set of matches for 2024, held Tuesday night across the Middle East. In the first of three Group B matches Tuesday in the third round of the qualification tournament, South Korea managed a 1-1 draw against Palestine in Amman, a neutral venue due to the ongoing conflict in the region. South Korea's captain, Son Heung-min, scored a crucial equalizer in the 16th minute, allowing the team to reach 14 points. According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's record stands at four wins and two draws with four matches remaining in the third round. Both of their draws have come against Palestine. Hours after South Korea's match, Iraq secured a 1-0 victory over Oman in Muscat, bringing their total to 11 points with three wins, two draws, and one loss. Iraq's only defeat in the tournament was against South Korea on October 15. Meanwhile, in Kuwait City, Jordan and Kuwait ended their match in a 1-1 draw, leaving Jordan with nine points and struggling to keep up with Iraq. The qualification process involves three groups of six teams in the third round, with the top two teams from each group after ten matches advancing to the 2026 World Cup. Teams finishing in third and fourth place will move on to the fourth round. In Group A, Iran leads with 16 points, followed by Uzbekistan with 13 points. In Group C, Japan also holds 16 points, while Australia trails with seven points. South Korea will conclude the third round by playing three of their final four matches at home. They are set to host Oman on March 20 and Jordan on March 25. Following an away match against Iraq on June 5, South Korea will end the round with a home match against Kuwait on June 10. The team has a chance to secure its 11th consecutive World Cup appearance during the March window.