FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template
Mexico coach Manuel Lapuente refused to do any crystal ball gazing on Sunday but expressed confidence that his team was good enough to reach the World Cup final. The astute Lapuente, preparing his side for their opening group E encounter with South Korea in Lyon on June 13, said that Mexico were thinking like winners.
“I do not have a crystal ball but I do have a good team. We have worked hard for a good World Cup,” Lapuente said at Mexico’s training camp southeast of Paris. “We have a winning mentality and we’ll take it step by step, match by match, we’re not going to build castles in the air. Our first match is against South Korea and for the moment our only concern is to prepare ourselves calmly, to stay concentrated and motivated. Then we can make it to the final.” Mexico, quarter-finalists at home in 1970 and 1986, beat Japan 2-1 in a closed-door warm-up match on June 1 thanks to a 78th minute penalty from midfielder Alberto Garcia Aspe.
While Mexico’s World Cup record of just seven victories in 33 matches is far from impressive it is better than opponents South Korea who have yet to record a win in 11 matches.
Coach Cha Bum-kun, a successful striker in Germany during the 1980s, has said he will be pleased if his side records that first victory in France.
“Winning a match in France is our main objective and we are ready for any team. Reaching the last 16 will be half achieved if we beat Mexico,” said Cha.
“We will do the best we can to live up to our fans’ expectations.” South Korea are competing in their fourth consecutive finals and will place a lot of faith in the twin strike force of Hwang Sun-hong and Choi Yong-soo.
Hwang, who played in both the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, is a great header of the ball and has scored more than 40 goals for his country. Choi has the ability to hang in the air to meet crosses and his goalscoring touch was underlined during the World Cup qualifiers when he was on target nine times.
Holland and Belgium, the other two teams in group E, play their opening match in the Stade de France also on June 13.