FRANCE 98 – Match preview n°9
South Korea and Mexico, blatant under-achievers in previous World Cup campaigns, face a must-win situation in their opening World Cup encounter on Saturday. The Koreans, playing in their fifth World Cup finals but still without a win, and the Mexicans also meet fancied Holland and Belgium in Group E and both know that defeat in Lyon on Saturday will likely bring an early end to their France ’98 campaign.
Mexico have won just seven out of 33 World Cup matches but coach Manuel Lapuente insists that they will play attacking football and live up to their FIFA ranking of world number four. ” We will play to win against South Korea as we always do, “ said Lapuente, who took over from Bora Milutinovic in December 1997. ” The Koreans will defend, we will attack. We will have to take risks, that’s the kind of game it is. “
Since winning the Gold Cup with a 1-0 win over the United States in January the Mexicans have had a string of disappointing results and their most famous player, Hugo Sanchez, has written off their chances in France. ” This team is dreaming if it thinks it can bring back the cup to France, “ said the soccer legend before the team left for the World Cup.
His successor in the striking role, Luis Hernandez, will carry a lot of responsibility when he comes up against South Korean stopper Hong Myung-bo on Saturday. Hernandez was top scorer in the Copa America but is often criticised for being selfish and in Hong he meets a formidable opponent. The 29-year-old veteran plays his club soccer in the competitive Japanese J-League and has been watched by Spanish giants Barcelona. The fair-haired Hernandez, nicknamed ” The Matador “, discounts Mexico’s poor warm-up form and predicts they will sparkle on the big stage. ” In the more important competitions like the Copa America and the Gold Cup we have produced good results, “ he said.
Lapuente’s prediction that South Korea will defend and rely on the counter attack to score goals is borne out by their likely 3-6-1 formation. The decision to pack the midfield and play Choi Yong-soo as sole striker has been forced on coach Cha Bum-Kun by the injury to veteran forward Hwang Sun-Hong. Hwang misses the match with a knee injury and Cha could also lose the services of influential right-sided midfielder Choi Sung-Yong. Cha, who had a successful career in German football and is a winner by nature, will rely on the speed of his midfield to catch Mexico on the break.
The charismatic Cha, who receives respect from the squad because of his achievements as a player, knows the importance of the opening encounter for Korean and Asian soccer. ” This game gives us the chance to win our first match in the World Cup, “ he said. ” Korea have never got past the first round. More than any other year, this year we must at least reach the last 16 to save the face of Asian football and to prove that Asian sides do not just reach the finals and then fail. I want us to move into the top echelons of world football. “
With the tiger economy of South Korea moving into recession the country’s sports minister has also underlined the need for a win to boost the morale of the population. ” The Korean people are down, frustrated and disappointed at the moment and if the team do well it will give hope and encouragement to overcome the problems, “ said Shin Nak-Kyun on a visit to Korea’s training site.