S. Korea set to duel with Argentina in 2010 World Cup

By Kim Boram
SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's national football coach Huh Jung-moo
said Thursday that he is looking forward to a "square duel" with Diego Maradona's
Argentina at the upcoming World Cup in South Africa.
"I can't find any flaws in the Argentine team," said Huh at a press conference in
downtown Seoul. "The team has been a little sluggish during regional preliminary
rounds, but it is still one of the world's strongest football teams."
South Korea, which captured a berth to next year's World Cup finals, its seventh
consecutive appearance at the event, was placed in group B along with Argentina,
Nigeria and Greece at the final draw held last Friday in Cape Town.
The South American football powerhouse managed to qualify for the finals, placing
fourth after Brazil, Chile and Paraguay. The star-studded team with Lionel Messi
and Carlos Tevez was upset 6-1 by Bolivia in a preliminary match that stunned the
football world.
Next year's group round will feature the second World Cup encounter between South
Korea and Argentina since the 1986 Mexico tournament. Huh led South Korea's tough
defensive line at the Mexico event, while Maradona played a major role in lifting
his country's second World Cup trophy.
"I was a player at that time and now I'm leading a team," said Huh of the
experience against Argentina. "I don't want to crumble without making an effort
to win."
South Korea lost to the South American champion 3-1 in 1986.
Huh has also refused to let his guard down with Greece, the Euro 2004 champion.
"I have been watching Greece play since 2004. It has a strong defense," he said.
"Its stubborn defense and mobile strikers are dangerous and in good form, giving
the team good scoring ability."
He said he will send his assistant coaches to the Africa Cup of Nations in
January to look into the Nigerian team.
"The heavyset African players are good at keeping the ball and dribbling but they
keep the ball too long, that's the point, I think."
South Korea reached the semifinals on home soil in the 2002 World Cup, defeating
European football powers Portugal, Italy and Spain.
The Asian country is hoping to repeat the feat at next year's competition,
looking for at least two wins or one win and two draws in the group round to
reach the knockout stage.
Huh also revealed his 35-man roster for a three-week training scheduled set to
begin early next year in Rustenburg, South Africa, and Malaga, Spain. Former
Middlesbrough striker Lee Dong-guk, who scored the most goals in the 2009 Korean
League, earned a spot, while Premier League athletes including Park Ji-sung of
Manchester United were excluded due to the ongoing season.
South Korea will begin its World Cup campaign by taking on Greece on June 12 in
Port Elizabeth. It will face Argentina on June 17 in Johannesburg and Nigeria on
June 22 in Durban.
brk@yna.co.kr
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