▁for ▁its ▁performance ▁as ▁they ▁had ▁managed ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁final ▁without ▁conced ing ▁any ▁goals . ▁For ▁the ▁combined ▁qual ification ▁matches ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁A FC ▁Asian ▁Cup , ▁South ▁Korea ▁won ▁all ▁seven ▁matches ▁ ▁without ▁conced ing ▁a ▁goal ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁round ▁but ▁following ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁poor ▁results ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁round ▁of ▁qual ifiers , ▁including ▁losses ▁to ▁China ▁and ▁Q atar , ▁St iel ike ▁was ▁s ack ed ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁former ▁under - 2 0 ▁and ▁under - 2 3 ▁coach ▁Shin ▁T ae - y ong ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁qual ifying ▁round . ▁Under ▁Shin , ▁the ▁team ▁managed ▁to ▁qual ify ▁as ▁the ▁second - pla ced ▁team ▁in ▁their ▁group ▁following ▁two ▁go all ess ▁draw s ▁against ▁Iran ▁and ▁U z bek istan , ▁sending ▁South ▁Korea ▁to ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁for ▁the ▁nin th ▁consecutive ▁time . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁World ▁Cup , ▁they ▁lost ▁their ▁first ▁game ▁against ▁Sweden ▁ 1 – 0 ▁after ▁conced ing ▁a ▁penalty ▁kick . ▁They ▁then ▁faced ▁Mexico ▁and ▁lost ▁ 2 – 1 ▁after ▁conced ing ▁another ▁penalty ▁kick . ▁However , ▁despite ▁their ▁two ▁consecutive ▁losses , ▁South ▁Korea ▁was ▁not ▁elimin ated ▁just ▁yet . ▁To ▁have ▁any ▁chance ▁of ▁adv ancing , ▁South ▁Korea ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁win ▁their ▁final ▁group ▁stage ▁match ▁against ▁the