S. Korean coach displays determination to defeat Nigeria

 

Ahead of the last and critical group match against Nigeria, South Korea's coach said Sunday that his team will go for an outright victory that would virtually guarantee the nation's first ticket to the round of 16 on foreign soil.

The team started its World Cup campaign with a clean 2-0 victory over Greece on June 12, but crashed 4-1 to Argentina in their second Group B match in Johannesburg on Thursday. But the hope to advance to the next stage is still within reach.

Placing second on the Group B standing over Greece on goal difference, South Korea must beat Nigeria in its final match in Durban on Tuesday to clinch a ticket to the second round. Greece will take on Argentina at the same time.

"I told the players that the World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I asked them to compete without regrets to win," said coach Huh Jung-moo after a training session at Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban.

"We won't excessively stick to either defense or offense. Instead we will play a normal game," said Huh. "Nigeria is expected to play rough right from the beginning of the game. We will do our utmost to display what we have prepared."

In the training, Huh hinted at mobilizing a 4-4-2 formation, which gave the Asian team 2-0 victory in the group opener.

Strikers Yeom Ki-hun and Park Chu-young were put into play as frontline attackers in a practice game, while captain Park Ji-sung and Lee Chung-yong, both English Premiere Leaguers, took charge of the left and right wing positions.

Although Nigeria will be missing a key player after he was red-carded in Thursday's match with Greece, it still has a strong lineup. Greece beat Nigeria 2-1 for its first-ever World Cup win.

Veteran defender Lee Young-pyo, who plays for Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal, said his teammates are ready to prove that the South Korean team is an Asia football power.

"We have our goal and we've prepared long enough to achieve it. We are resolved to win the game," Lee said.

"We've spent a lot of time analyzing the African team's tactics and their styles, and we have enough experience to know what we need to do."

Kim Jung-woo, a central midfielder who played in the games against Greece and Argentina, also said, "We must win to get to the second round."

"We must try not to concede a goal, especially early on. And if we defend well, then we will get a chance to score and win."

In the last group match on Tuesday, a win over Nigeria will give South Korea a ticket to the second round, if Argentina beats Greece or ties with it.//Yonhap