“We Can Never Lose to Korean Team“

"Come on! Let`s Go."

A resounding voice of Bruce Arena, head coach of the USA team, rumbled on the auxiliary ground of the Seoguipo World Cup Stadium in the midst of the heavy rain.

Making nothing of the heavy rain, 19 USA players picked up their movement following a voice of head coach. Even though they did not take a sufficient rest after the fatigue of the long journey, they moved actively on the ground. As a shout of Korean team`s head coach Guus Hiddink was heard, coach Arena unconsciously turned his eyes to the training field of the Korean team.

Korea and USA are scheduled to have a friendly game celebrating the grand opening of the Seoguipo World Cup Stadium at 5 o`clock pm on 9th. But as both teams are scheduled to be in a same group in next year`s World Cup, they rushed into a fierce psychological warfare.

The USA team, which arrived in Seoguipo through the Incheon International Airport, ran into the field with their bags unpacked. After glancing at the Korean team that was training from one hour ago, coach Arena ordered the intensive practice followed by sprinting, gymnastic excise, and semi-game, as if demonstrating their eagerness in front of 100 foreign and domestic reporters gathering around the training ground.

Coach Arena was putting up a smoke screen, saying that "We will play a game without straining ourselves. Because the members playing in the European leagues did not join the team, it will be hard to show our ability to the fullest." And forward Brian McBride resonated that "We have a weakness in scoring ability. Because there will be little opportunities in the World Cup, we cannot help but to worry about this." However, midfielder Cobi Jones expressed confidence, "We have excellent bench members, which I think are a great merit to our team. If we can build more experience until next year`s World Cup, I believe that we will be able to earn a good result."

While the USA team focused on a semi-game only using short passes on the half of the ground, the Korean team practiced the offense tactics on the whole field. The head coaches of both teams looked as if being immersed in each team`s training, but the whole field was filled with a tensed atmosphere. The friendly game scheduled for 9th have now turned into a fierce contest from which both can never retreat.

Meanwhile, with the entry of the USA team, the security control headquarters was put on emergency alert. The headquarters deployed the special security guards just after the USA team arrived in the Incheon International Airport, who boarded on the plane to Cheju with them. The special security guards are now guarding 24 hours the hotel in which the USA players are staying.

Yang Jong-Koo yjongk@donga.com