FIFA World Cup Brazil Matchup & Preview: Russia vs. South Korea
Russia against South Korea may not sound like the marquee match-up for most fans. Neither team has been very successful on the big stage and neither team has very high expectations by experts this year.
But when we dig a little deeper, this should be a great game between two teams trying to make a statement and prove everyone wrong. Off the field, these two nations have historically never really seen eye to eye with each other, which should make for a huge fan reception back home. It will also be very interesting to see how both of these teams handle the humid Cuiabá weather which is expected to be in the mid 80s.
Nestor Pitana of Argentina will be the head referee.
South Korea
South Korea comes into this World Cup ranked No. 57 and that may be the most underrated status of any team. This team is led by coach Hong Myung-bo. Myung-bo is a fan favorite in South Korea as he played in four World Cups for them from 1990-2002.
Although South Korea has never had the most success at the World Cup, they have been rapidly improving over time. The current starting squad has only one player over the age of 30, defender Kwak Tae-Hwi. Because of so little experience on the team, there are so many questions that still remain. The team's biggest asset is their goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryong, who will be playing in his second consecutive World Cup.
Russia
Russia will be competing in just their third World Cup tournament and their first since 2002, which coincidently was in South Korea. They're ranked No. 19 in the world, but that may be a little high for this team. Italian coach Fabio Capello is the head coach of Russia, and he too has World Cup playing experience, back to the '70s.
The biggest advantage Russia has for themselves is balance. Team captain Vasili Berezutski and Sergei Ignashevich lead a powerful defensive unit, and goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev is right behind them to shut down opposing teams. Even on offense, Russia has Aleksandr Kerzhakov who has been playing in the World Cup since 2002. Russia has paired their experienced veteran players along with younger skilled players at the same position. An interesting experiment that we will have to watch.
When and where to watch
These two teams will kick off Tuesday Night at 6:00 on ESPN. The game will be played Arena Pantanal in Cuiabá in front of over 40,000 fans.
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