MIAMI, Florida (Yonhap) ― In its final test before the upcoming FIFA World Cup, South Korea will take on Ghana in Miami on Monday.
The kickoff at Sun Life Stadium will be at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or 8 a.m. Tuesday in South Korea.
Both South Korea and Ghana will play in the World Cup in Brazil. South Korea is paired with Russia, Algeria and Belgium in Group H. Ghana has drawn Germany, Portugal and the United States in Group G.
South Korea is ranked 57th in the latest FIFA rankings, 20 spots below Ghana. South Korea leads the all-time series with three wins and two losses, but Ghana has won two of the past three head-to-head matches.
After Monday’s match, the South Koreans will travel to Foz do Iguacu, their Brazilian base camp, and will open Group H action against Russia on June 17 in Cuiaba, about 1,120 kilometers north of Foz do Iguacu.
South Korea suffered a 1-0 loss to Tunisia on May 28 at Seoul World Cup Stadium, its last pre-World Cup contest at home. Head coach Hong Myung-bo apologized to fans for his team’s lethargic showing and ran his 23-man squad through rigorous tactical and conditioning drills over the past dozen or so days in Miami.
The Korean national soccer team trains in Miami, Florida, Sunday. (Yonhap)
South Korea will be playing in its eighth consecutive World Cup and has won its opening group stage match in each of the past three editions. If South Korea were to keep the streak alive and reach the knockout stage for the third time, it must find ways to score with more regularity.
In 15 matches under Hong since last summer, South Korea has netted just 15 goals, four of them coming against an overmatched Haiti.
South Korea has given up 18 goals in those 15 games, and the defenders will have their hands full against Ghana.
Striker Asamoah Gyan leads the African side with 39 international goals. A pair of AC Milan midfielders ― Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari ― will also be dangerous on the attack.
At a prematch press conference held Sunday, Hong said he wants his players to tighten things up on both ends against Ghana.
“We need to make sure we don’t concede Ghana opportunities to mount counterattacks,” the coach said. “Russia (South Korea’s first World Cup opponent) is strong at counterattacks, and I will keep a close watch on how we can handle such situations in tomorrow’s match.”
Hong likely won’t depart too much from his starting lineup deployed against Tunisia, except for centerback Hong Jeong-ho, who bruised his foot in the second half of that match. Hong has since recovered and has taken part in full drills since Thursday, but the coach could keep the defender on the bench as a precaution.
Kwak Tae-hwi, the elder statesman of the squad at age 32, will likely take Hong’s spot in the starting 11, joined by Yun Suk-young, Kim Young-gwon and Lee Yong on the back line.
Jung Sung-ryong, who stopped a penalty against Ghana in a friendly three years ago, is expected to be back in net.
On offense, Park Chu-young should get another nod as the featured striker, with captain Koo Ja-cheol backing him up on the secondary line.
Son Heung-min and Lee Chung-yong are expected to be back on the flanks. Ki Sung-yueng and Han Kook-young should be in to take care of the midfield once again.
As he did against Tunisia, coach Hong will likely make the maximum six substitutions during the match.
