Son Heung-min found the net, but South Korea's joy was short-lived as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Thailand in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday. This match marked South Korea's first game since the dismissal of Jurgen Klinsmann. Additionally, it was the team's first appearance since reports emerged of a confrontation between captain Son and Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain during the Asian Cup, where South Korea suffered a 2-0 defeat against Jordan in the semifinals. Son sustained a dislocated finger during the altercation at their team hotel in Qatar on the eve of the semifinal match. While Lee began the game on the bench, he was brought on shortly after Thailand scored a surprising equalizer in Seoul, courtesy of Suphanat Mueanta's close-range finish just after the hour mark.

Despite the draw, South Korea remains positioned to advance to the next phase of the 2026 qualifiers, currently leading their group with seven points from three games. Under the interim leadership of under-23 coach Hwang Sun-hong, following the departure of Jurgen Klinsmann, the hosts managed to take the lead three minutes before halftime.

Son, the forward for Spurs, predictably found the net, slotting home from close range to pave the way for South Korea's third consecutive qualifying victory.

In the 61st minute, the 66,000-seat Seoul World Cup Stadium fell silent as Suphanat capitalized on an opportunity to shoot past the exposed goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, putting Thailand level. Despite numerous opportunities, South Korea couldn't find the winning goal against a resilient Thailand defense. The teams will face each other again on Tuesday in Bangkok.