In a World Cup qualifier on Thursday, South Korea, led by Son Heung-min, scored but was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Thailand. This match marked their first game since the dismissal of former coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
This fixture also followed revelations about a confrontation between captain Son and Paris Saint-Germain's Lee Kang-in during the Asian Cup, where South Korea suffered a 2-0 defeat against Jordan in the semi-finals.
During the game, Son sustained a dislocated finger during a scuffle at their team hotel in Qatar just before the semi-final match.
Lee initially started on the bench but was subbed in shortly after Thailand scored a surprising equalizer in Seoul. Suphanat Mueanta found the net from close range just after the one-hour mark.
Despite the draw, South Korea remains on track to advance to the next stage of qualification for the 2026 World Cup, currently leading their group with seven points from three matches.
Under-23 coach Hwang Sun-hong assumed temporary leadership following Klinsmann's departure, and South Korea took the lead three minutes before halftime, courtesy of a goal by Son.
The match at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, filled with a capacity crowd of 66,000, witnessed Suphanat's equalizer on 61 minutes, leaving goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo exposed.
South Korea had several opportunities to clinch victory but struggled to capitalize against a resilient Thailand defense.
The two teams will face each other again on Tuesday in Bangkok.
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