The South Korean national team squad departed for Dubai yesterday knowing that a victory in their next World Cup qualification match against the United Arab Emirates will guarantee at least a playoff spot for the 2010 World Cup tournament, and put them within touching distance of automatic qualification ahead of the final two group matches later this month.
Huh Jung-moo's men know that four points are likely to be enough to secure World Cup qualification for the seventh consecutive tournament, and hopes are high that three of those points will be picked up against a side the Koreans defeated 4-1 in Seoul in October 2008.
Three of the players called up to the 25-strong squad are newcomers to the international setup, with Incheon United forward Yoo Byung-soo capping off his stunning start to the 2009 K-League season with a national team spot. Also joining him in the squad for the first time are Busan's Yang Dong-hyun and Yokohama F. Marinos defender Kim Keun-hwan.
First up for Korea in a busy couple of weeks is a friendly against Oman, in Dubai, on June 2nd. They will then take on the UAE on June 6th in their sixth match of the World Cup qualification group, before returning back to Seoul to face qualification rivals Saudi Arabia on June 10th. Korea's final match in the group is a home encounter with Iran on June 17th but there is a strong chance that qualification will already have been assured ahead of that match.
South Korea currently lead Group B with eleven points, one ahead of both North Korea and Saudi Arabia, but crucially have played one game less than their two rivals. Iran lie fourth on six points, with the UAE bottom and already out of the running with a single point from their six matches to date.
The squad for all four matches in June is as follows:
Goalkeepers
Lee Woon-jae (Suwon Samsung Bluewings)
Kim Young-kwang (Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i)
Jung Sung-ryong (Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma)
Defenders
Jo Yong-hyung (Jeju United)
Lee Jung-soo (Kyoto Sanga)
Kim Hyung-il (Pohang Steelers)
Kim Keun-hwan (Yokohama F. Marinos)
Lee Kang-jin (Busan I'Park)
Kim Chang-soo (Busan I'Park)
Kim Dong-jin (Zenit St. Petersburg)
Oh Bum-suk (Krylya Sovetov Samara)
Lee Young-pyo (Borussia Dortmund)
Midfielders
Cho Won-hee (Wigan Athletic)
Kim Jung-woo (Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma)
Ki Sung-yong (FC Seoul)
Lee Chung-yong (FC Seoul)
Kim Chi-woo (FC Seoul)
Park Ji-sung (Manchester United)
Forwards
Choi Tae-wook (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
Bae Ki-jong (Suwon Samsung Bluewings)
Yoo Byung-soo (Incheon United)
Lee Keun-ho (Jubilo Iwata)
Park Joo-young (AS Monaco)
Shin Young-rok (Buraspor)
Yang Dong-hyun (Busan I'Park)
June Fixtures
02/06/09: v Oman (Friendly, Dubai)
06/06/09: v UAE (World Cup Qualifier, Dubai)
10/06/09: v Saudi Arabia (World Cup Qualifier, Seoul)
17/06/09: v Iran (World Cup Qualifier, venue TBC)
Group rivals North Korea can edge closer to their first World Cup finals tournament since 1966 when they face Iran in Pyeongyang on June 6th. The North Koreans, currently second in Group B and ahead of Saudi Arabia on goal difference, lost 2-1 to Iran in Tehran in October 2008, but have won their two previous group matches in Pyeongyang and will fancy their chances of securing at least a point, a result that would severely dent Iran's hopes of making it to 2010.
They round off their qualifying campaign with a trip to Riyadh to face Saudi Arabia on June 17th in a match which could well determine which side joins South Korea in South Africa without having to face a playoff against New Zealand.
The North Koreans warmed up for their final matches with a training camp in Switzerland, the first time they have returned to Western Europe since competing in the 1966 World Cup finals tournament. They played two friendly matches, losing 1-0 to Swiss second division side Concordia Basel on May 14, and winning 3-1 against a team made up of Basel FC U21s and regional amateur players on May 17th.
