Asian giants gear up to square off at opener

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 07/11/2007 11:17 AM

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Asian heavyweights Saudi Arabia and South Korea will lock horns Wednesday at Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, in a Group D clash at the Asian Cup.

Three-time Asian Cup champion Saudi Arabia will face a depleted Korean side, which is missing Manchester United's Park Ji-sung, Tottenham Hotspur's Lee Young-pyo and Reading's Seol Ki-hyeon through injury.

Saudi Arabia has beaten South Korea in their last two meetings, in the qualifying round for the 2006 World Cup. It won those games 2-0 and 1-0.

After failing to make the Asian Cup final three years ago, for the first time since 1980, Saudi Arabia has added motivation not to drop any points in the group stage as it seeks a spot in the final.

Coach Helio dos Anjos had said that South Korea, a two-time Cup winner, will be Saudi Arabia's toughest competition in the round-robin group stage.

""I think the remaining training sessions are enough for us to prepare for the match against Korea,"" said the 49-year-old Brazilian, adding that he is also ""keeping an eye on the other teams"".

South Korea, known for its hard running and unbending will, will not allow Saudi romp to an easy victory.

The Taeguk Warriors enter this Asian Cup looking to end its nearly 50-year title drought, not having won since taking the inaugural Asian Cups in 1956 and 1960.

Under Dutch coach Pim Veerbek -- who has managed to get out from the shadow of compatriots Guus Hiddink and Dick Advocaat, and who served as an assistant coach for Korea at the last two World Cups -- the South Koreans showed they are ready by thrashing Iraq 3-0 in a friendly last month.

A week later they defeated Uzbekistan 2-1.

With 16 players under the age of 25, Korea is banking its hopes on Middlesbrough striker Lee Dong-guk.

""Losing the three players could be a big problem because they bring experience and confidence to the team and they bring fear to the opponents and we know that,"" Verbeek was quoted as saying by the tournament's official website.

""But it gives the younger players the possibility, because they know they can be a starting member of the national team. They have a lot of promise.

""Also, in the positions where we have lost players, we don't have better players than Park Ji-sung and Seol Ki-hyeon, otherwise they'd be playing in England too. But on the other hand the younger players bring a lot of passion and energy to the team.""

""I have the strongest feeling that the boys are ready to win the tournament because we don't have so much to do apart from football,"" he said.

Whoever wins, Wednesday's match promises to be a riveting battle between two Asian giants.

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