▲ Lee Kang-in of South Korea (L) and Kamaldeen Sulemana of Ghana battle for the ball during the countries' Group H match at the FIFA World Cup at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, west of Doha, on Nov. 28, 2022. (Yonhap)
▲ Kim Min-jae of South Korea (L) stays down in pain during the team's Group H match against Ghana at the FIFA World Cup at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, west of Doha, on Nov. 28, 2022. (Yonhap)

(World Cup) S Korea-Portugal-starting lineups

(World Cup) Midfielder Lee Kang-in to start, injured defender Kim Min-jae out vs. Portugal

By Yoo Jee-ho

AL RAYYAN, Qatar, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's super-sub midfielder Lee Kang-in earned his first FIFA World Cup starting assignment on Friday in a must-win match against Portugal.

Center back Kim Min-jae, hobbled by a right calf injury, will begin the Group H match on the bench at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, west of Doha.

Lee had been South Korea's most dangerous offensive weapon coming off the bench in two previous matches, a goalless draw with Uruguay and a 3-2 loss to Ghana. With South Korea needing a win over Portugal, along with help from the other Group H match of the day between Uruguay and Ghana, Lee will now try to spark the offense from the opening kickoff.

South Korea, though, will be missing their best defender in Kim, who hurt himself against Uruguay and played through the injury against Ghana. He has skipped recent training sessions to get treatments on his injured leg but did not recover in time to start South Korea's most important match of this tournament so far.

Kwon Kyung-won will make his first World Cup start in Kim's place.

Another banged-up player, midfielder Hwang Hee-chan, was held out of the starting lineup for the third straight game. He has been slowed by a hamstring injury.

Forward Cho Gue-sung, who scored twice against Ghana, will make his second straight start. Winger Lee Jae-sung is back in the starting lineup after beginning the Ghana match on the bench.

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