Oh Hyun-kyu returns after 8 months, scores debut goal
Striker Oh Hyeon-gyu (Genk), born in 2001, returned to the national team after 8 months and scored his debut goal in an A match (match between national teams) in a difficult away game against Jordan.
On the 10th (local time), in the 23rd minute of the second half of the away game against Jordan in the 3rd round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asia 3rd qualifying round, held at the Amman International Stadium in Jordan, Oh Hyun-gyu made it 2-0 with a cool right-footed shot.
This was Oh Hyun-kyu's debut goal for the national team in his 12th match since the friendly match against Iceland in November 2022.
Even when Lee Jae-seong (Mainz) scored the first goal in the 38th minute of the first half, the Jordan home fans who had been cheering enthusiastically without losing their will to win, turned gloomy when Oh Hyeon-gyu scored.
Oh Hyun-kyu, who competed at the forefront with Cho Kyu-seong (Midtjylland) and others under former manager Jurgen Klinsmann, lost his position at his former team Celtic (Scotland) and became distant from the national team.
Oh Hyun-kyu, who had not been selected for the national team since the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup held in January and February, moved to Genk (Belgium) and improved his performance, earning him the selection of coach Hong Myung-bo.
Oh Hyun-kyu, who appeared in 8 games for Genk in the 2024-2025 season, scored 3 goals, showing his scoring touch.
Coach Hong took notice of Oh Hyun-kyu's upward trend and said at the press conference announcing the list, "I chose Oh Hyun-kyu because I thought it would be better to have a different option to attack Jordan's defense in terms of style."
With Jo Gyu-seong, who is recovering from an injury, unable to return to the field, Oh Hyeon-gyu, whose strength is relatively more aggressive play than Joo Min-gyu (Ulsan), played the expected role against Jordan's tough defense.
Oh Hyun-kyu, 23, is also a good fit for the 'future-oriented' national team system pursued by Coach Hong. Coach Hong has emphasized the importance of competitiveness in the World Cup finals in North and Central America.
In 2026, when the next World Cup will be held, Oh Hyun-kyu will still be in his mid-20s, at the peak of his physical health.
First of all, Oh Hyun-gyu has taken the lead in the competition for the top spot with his goal today. However, it is too early to feel relieved. There are still six more matches in the third preliminary round after the A-match period in October.
Although Oh Hyun-gyu has tasted a goal, the competition for the front line, which is a four-way battle between Joo Min-gyu, Oh Se-hoon (Zelvia), and Lee Young-jun (Grasshopper), is expected to continue for the time being.
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