We Must Win the Next Home Game

“Win to Survive”-

Korea should beat Uzbekistan by all means. At present, the Korean national soccer team has a record of one win and one loss (three points), and ranks second, only a goal ahead of third place Kuwait. If Korea fails to beat Uzbekistan, the underdog of the group, it will be difficult for Korea to remain in second place, which gets an automatic entry to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The match againt Uzbekistan, which will be held in Seoul, is especially important because the Korean team will travel to Uzbekistan (June 3) and Kuwait (June 8) for the coming games.

Heinz-Jurgen Geode (49), Geman-born coach of the Uzbekistan national team, said enthusiastically, “Although Korea is a strong team, we wish good luck to our team. As we desperately need more points, our players are determined to do their best.”

“All-in Strategy”-

Kim Nam-il (Suwon) and Park Jae-hong will not play because of accumulated yellow cards. Johannes Bonfrere (59), Korean national team coach, will play Yoo Sang-chul (Ulsan) at midfield in place of Kim Nam-il, and Kim Jin-kyu (Juvilo Iwata), a former youth team player, in place of Park Jae-hong. Along with Lee Dong-guk (Pohang) and Seol Gi-Hyun (Wolverhampton), “Terminator” Cha Du-ri (Frankfurt) will play at the front, after returning from a 4-game suspension.

Uzbekistan will play without Dynamo Kyiv star striker Maksim Shatskikh, and veteran defender Nikovlay Shirshov because of injuries. But new players including Alexander Geynirkh and Vladimir Shishelov are expected to lead the attack, with playmaker Mirdjalal Kasimov, the player of the year, in the hole.

“Who Will Score a Winning Goal?”-

“Lion King” Lee Dong-guk, who missed two goals in the match against Saudi, Cha Du-ri, who has showed a strong performance with three goals and six assists in the Bundesliga, Park Ji-sung (Eindhoven), who is winning distinction in the Netherlands, and Yoo Sang-chul, who will play as a midfielder for the first time in a long time. These players are expected to score the winning goal.

Soon-Il Kwon stt77@donga.com