In Group A of the final Asian qualification stage for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, South Korea will take on Iran, Iraq, UAE, Syria, and Lebanon. These Middle East countries are famous for time-wasting soccer, and people call this playing method "bed soccer."

▲ South Korean will play matches with Middle East countries

Middle East countries waste time when they only have a lead. Moreover, there are a lot of problems with "bed soccer." First, this playing method can make the lower quality of the match. If a team plays soccer with "bed soccer", the game will progress slowly and halt a lot. Who would like a soccer match that progresses slowly? Also, players playing methods can make another problem. For example, in 2018, there was a match between Spain and Iran at World Cup. In this game, Spain had the first goal. After this goal, Spanish soccer players wasted time just like Middle East countries. As a result, Spanish soccer players lay in the stadium for no reason. This, Iran's playing method made them worse.

Then, how to cope with time-wasting soccer? At these matches, South Korean soccer players have to get the first goal. By having the first goal, Middle East countries will try to get a tying goal. Moreover, Federation Internationale de Football Association(FIFA) can make a rule about time-wasting soccer. For example, if the game is halted and the time is stopped, there is no reason that soccer players lay in the stadium for no reason. In other words, we have to control the time.

▲ Qatar World Cup

At this final Asian qualification stage for World Cup, South Korea tries to achieve the tenth successive year in entering World Cup. However, there are some problems such as bed soccer and travel range at these matches. Paulo Bento, who is a head coach, offered a simple solution. He said that they just have to play well.

By Kim Yu-chan

2021. 7. 17