Koreans not afraid of tall Greece side

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa (AP):South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo has been working on combating Greece's height advantage, when the teams meet in their opening World Cup match today.

Greece's height at set pieces was one of the key features of its surprise 2004 European Championship title, but Huh said yesterday that he is not overly concerned ahead of the Group B match in Port Elizabeth.

"If height were the main factor, we would have to have all basketball players," Huh said. "We are fully prepared. There is a risk, but we have our strong points."

South Korea's strongest suit at the 2002 tournament they co-hosted with Japan was their fitness. The hosts outlasted Italy and Spain to surge into the semi-finals against all expectations.

But after an opening 2-1 win over Togo in 2006 for their first World Cup victory outside Asia, South Korea went out in the first round after drawing 1-1 with France and losing 2-0 to Switzerland.

With teams now aware of the running power of the likes of Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung, Huh is having to take another tactical approach against a team that has failed to make an impact at major championships since its Euro 2004 triumph.

Huh has also given his players two sets of instructions on how to line up: one to deal with a four-man Greek defence and another for a more aggressive three-man back line.

"It can change any minute," Huh said. "I have told my players that, if Greece come out with a four-back formation, how they have to react and if they have a three back as well. We are well prepared."

The biggest problem his players face, he said, is not Greece but staying calm under the weight of expectations from travelling supporters.

Working to win

"Everybody is working to win the matches," Huh said. "When we get to the match, the players, if they feel pressure or are afraid, they will not be able to perform to their true capability."

This will be Greece's second World Cup appearance. In 1994 they exited at the group stage without a point, with no goals scored and 10 conceded.

Greece failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup and becoming the first defending European champion not to pick up a point in the subsequent edition of the tournament.

Greece's chances have been hit by the absence of central defender Vangelis Moras with a persistent groin injury. Moras had been receiving daily physiotherapy instead of training in an attempt to overcome the nagging injury. Tests Wednesday showed he was fully recovered, but he said it is too early to be plunged into a World Cup match.

"I don't want to risk it," Moras said. "I want to be fit for Nigeria."

Greece, which face Nigeria on June 17 and Group B favourite Argentina on June 22, should know what to expect from South Korea, according to midfielder Giorgos Karagounis.

"They cover each other very well and they play as a real team, especially in defence," Karagounis said. "They mark the opposing team with at least two players. They play like Greece in this respect. The two teams are similar in more than one respect.

"Our main feature might be our compact defence, so our main target is not to concede a goal," Karagounis said. "We would not achieve so much without being able to score - we create chances and we score - but we will start by trying not to concede a goal."