Out-of-sorts South Korea faces a Russia side desperate to prove a point in Cuiaba on Tuesday.
The Koreans’ fortunes have nose dived since the heady days of 2002 when they turned the formbook on its head by becoming the first Asian side to make it through to the semifinals. But before reaching their eighth consecutive World Cup, the Koreans struggled in qualifying, squeaking home only on goal difference. Coach Hong Myung-Bo is fretting over his Taeguk Warriors' fate in Brazil, aware that defensive frailties will make the going tough for them in a Group ‘H’ also containing favourite Belgium and Algeria.
He insists that rather than regressing, the Korean team has made progress in the last 12 years.
“The fact is that the quality of football in South Korea has developed a lot since 2002,” he declared. Unlike the Koreans, who are part of recent World Cup history's fixture and fittings, Russia makes its return to the feast of football for the first time since 2002, when like in 1994 it failed to make it out of the group stages.
Under Fabio Capello, who guided England to the last 16 in South Africa four years ago, Russia coasted through qualifying and in stark contrast to Tuesday’s opposition is unbeaten in 10 games.
It holds a psychological advantage going into the game at the Arena Pantanal as it saw off South Korea 2-1 in a friendly in Dubai last November.
