The first Korean derby of the 2024-25 Championship season, featuring Eom Ji-sung’s Swansea City and Bae Jun-ho’s Stoke City, concluded in a goalless draw on Saturday. Both midfielders played from the start at Swansea.com Stadium in Wales, but neither managed to score or assist in what was their final match before joining the Korean national team for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Despite Swansea attempting 19 shots, with five on target, and Stoke firing 10 shots, four of which were on target, neither side could find the breakthrough.
As a result of the draw, Swansea currently hold 11th place in the 24-team Championship table, having secured three wins, three draws, and three losses. Meanwhile, Stoke sit in 16th place with three wins, one draw, and five losses as of Sunday. Both teams will now pause for the FIFA international break, which runs from Monday through October 15. During this period, Korea is set to face Jordan on October 10 and Iraq on October 15 in the third round of World Cup qualifiers.
Eom Ji-sung and Bae Jun-ho join the national team in good form, stepping in for Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min, who is sidelined with an injury. Eom has been a consistent starter for Swansea this season, making 11 appearances and recording two assists. Similarly, Bae has been a regular choice for Stoke, contributing three assists in his 10 matches. Both players are versatile, capable of playing as wingers or attacking midfielders, much like Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in or the injured Son Heung-min. This versatility provides Korea’s manager, Hong Myung-bo, with additional options as he plans his starting lineup. However, neither Eom nor Bae has yet solidified their place in the national team, with both players earning just two senior caps and scoring one goal each.
Korea currently sits in second place in Group B of the third round of qualifiers. The top two teams from each of the three groups will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, placing added importance on Korea’s upcoming fixtures.