Greece vs South Korea is clash of giant-killers

PORT ELIZABETH - The World Cup game between South Korea and Greece brings together two teams responsible for perhaps the most unexpected and remarkable achievements in modern footballing history.

And with tough matches against Argentina and Nigeria awaiting them, both teams know that Saturday’s Group B clash in Port Elizabeth may be their best chance of a vital victory in South Africa.

The unfancied Greeks shocked the established football order when they beat hosts Portugal to win the Euro 2004 championship.

South Korea are also a famous giant-killer, upsetting football superpowers like Portugal, Italy and Spain to reach the World Cup semi-finals in 2002, when the country co-hosted the tournament with Japan.

Korea’s semi-final status made them the most successful Asian team in history, but they failed to repeat that success in 2006, when they beat Tonga and drew 1-1 with eventual finalists France before crashing out 2-0 to Switzerland in their final first round match.

South Korea’s lackluster form continued during qualification, when they made it through to their seventh consecutive World Cup. Though the Taeguk Warriors were unbeaten, the team seemed to lack the killer instinct and drew seven of its 14 games.

Its key player is Manchester United’s attacking midfielder Park Ji Sung, whose endless running has earned him the nickname of “Three Lung” and made him a regular under Alex Ferguson, especially in difficult away matches. Wingers Lee Dong Gook and Lee Chung Yong are also apt to test the Greek defence.

Korea no longer have celebrated Dutch coach Guus Hiddink at the helm and are now managed by Huh Jong Moo, who took them on a 27-game unbeaten run between February 2008 and November 2009.

But the Korean coach may have met his match with Greek boss Otto Rehhagel.

The no-nonsense German disciplinarian is known as “King Otto” in Greece after guiding them to the European crown in 2004 and will now be hoping to improve on the country’s dismal World Cup record.

In their only previous appearance at the finals, in the 1994 campaign in the United States, they lost all three games and conceded 10 goals.

This time around, Rehhagel will be counting on Liverpool defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos to anchor the defence, but will have to do without his first-choice central defensive partner, Vangelis Moras, who will sit out the match despite having recovered from a persistent groin injury.

Upfront, goal poacher Theofanis Gekas will hope to reproduce the form that netted him 10 goals during qualifying.

The two sides have never met before. And with both teams’ approach dominated by highly-disciplined defensive tactics designed to neutralize the superior skills of more established football powers, few expect this game to be a goal-fest.

But if one team does manage to score early, pre-game plans could go out the window, and the fans at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium could be treated to a game to remember.