Al Rayyan:The South Korean men's national football team is set to face Saudi Arabia in a friendly match this week, aiming to move past recent internal discord. This match, taking place in Qatar, is the first of two friendlies scheduled as part of their preparation efforts.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the team, under temporary head coach Robert Moreno, will compete against 55th-ranked Saudi Arabia at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium at 530 p.m. local time on Friday (1130 p.m. Friday in South Korea). South Korea, ranked 32nd in the world, will then play against Qatar in Doha on Tuesday.

This friendly marks South Korea's return to the field following a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan on October 6. The win was marred by reports of three players, Hwang In-beom, Hwang Hee-chan, and Kim Min-jae, expressing frustration with the team's leadership and contemplating international retirement. However, a joint statement from the players on Thursday confirmed that they have resolved their differences and are focused on achieving success in the upcoming matches.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) had originally planned these matches in preparation for the AFC Asian Cup, initially set for January but now postponed to December 2027 due to ongoing hostilities in Saudi Arabia involving Yemen's Houthi rebels. As a result, the team is concentrating on ending their year positively with these final matches of 2026.

Team captain Son Heung-min, having received support from Moreno, is eager to add to his record of 59 international goals. Son recently surpassed former striker Cha Bum-kun during the Uzbekistan match and is looking for his first goal against Saudi Arabia in his third encounter with them.

Additionally, the matches offer an opportunity for two young talents, 19-year-old midfielder Son Jeong-beom and 21-year-old defender Shin Min-ha, to potentially make their senior international debuts on this Qatar trip.

Moreno's future with the team remains uncertain, as his contract is set to expire on November 27. The KFA initially tasked him with overseeing six friendly matches and left open the possibility of extending his tenure based on performance. However, with the Asian Cup's postponement, the KFA might allow Moreno's contract to lapse and take more time to appoint a permanent head coach.