Qatar, which suffered a 0-3 defeat to Australia, took 72 minutes to register just one shot... Lopetegui, facing the threat of dismissal, sees the match against South Korea as his 'last lifeline'

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Qatar, the next opponent of the South Korean national football team, suffered a crushing defeat in a friendly match against Australia, fueling speculation about the dismissal of head coach Julen Lopetegui (60).

Qatar lost 0-3 to Australia in a friendly match held on the 13th (Korean time) at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Qatar collapsed after conceding three consecutive goals in the first half alone. Exploiting a passing error by goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada in the fifth minute of the first half, they allowed Riley McGree to score the opening goal. Struggling against Australia's high press, Qatar conceded consecutive goals from Tetteh Yengi in the 32nd minute and Nestory Irankunda in the 40th minute of the first half.

On this day, Qatar displayed consistently sluggish performance throughout the match, touching the ball inside the opponent's penalty area for the first time only in the 38th minute of the first half and recording their first shot in the 27th minute of the second half.

Following this defeat, Lopetegui's position as Qatar's head coach is being severely shaken. Since taking office last May, Lopetegui has managed just four wins (six draws, ten losses) in his last 20 matches. The team continues to underperform, having been eliminated from the group stage in both the 2025 Arab Cup (Arabian Gulf Cup) and the 2026 North-Central America World Cup.

The British 'Guardian,' citing local Qatari media, mentioned the possibility of Lopetegui's dismissal, reporting that his tactical insistence on backline build-up despite Australia's intense press is being criticized. The outlet predicted that the result against South Korea could determine Lopetegui's future.

Qatar and South Korea will face each other at 11 p.m. on the 17th at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium. The South Korean national team, led by interim head coach Roberto Moreno, also urgently needs a turnaround in momentum. Although they recently resolved internal conflicts within the squad stemming from the pain of elimination from the group stage of the North-Central America World Cup and tensions between Son Heung-min and 96LINE, they are facing the risk of consecutive losses after losing 2-3 to Saudi Arabia on the 13th.

According to the Korea Football Association, South Korea holds a lead in their all-time head-to-head record against Qatar with six wins, two draws, and three losses. In their most recent meeting, a friendly match in November 2020, South Korea secured a 2-1 victory with goals from Hwang Hee-chan and Hwang Ui-jo.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original