By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
The South Korean football team will seek to extend its international match winning streak, when it faces Senegal at Seoul World Stadium, Wednesday night.
The 49th-ranked squad has notched 13 victories and 12 draws since a 1-0 loss to Chile in January 2008, manager Huh Jung-moo's first at the helm.
The national team's record for longest winning stretch is 28 games - 24 wins and four draws - set in 1978 and 1979.
The world record belongs to Spain and Brazil, who each went unbeaten in 35 straight matches.
Although the African side, No. 80 in the FIFA rankings, crashed out of the 2010 World Cup qualifying, South Korea could not beat them in the only two previous meetings.
The Koreans, then headed by Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, lost 1-0 in November 2001 and settled for a 1-1 draw in May 2006.
It is the first time that Korea will face an African team since Huh took charge.
"We must prove we can overcome African teams, which are speedy and flexible and play physically, to be successful at the World Cup,'' Huh said.
Since 2000, the Taeguk Warriors have gone 6-5-4 against African nations.
They beat Togo 2-1 in the group stage at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and in the latest match against Ghana in October 2006, they suffered a 3-1 defeat.
In a bid to extend the streak and prepare for the upcoming World Cup, scheduled for June 12 to July 10, 2010, in South Africa, the 54-year-old manager is likely to put Lee Keun-ho and Park Chu-young at the forefront.
Park, who plays for AS Monaco in the French league, has shown off his offensive flair with his club of late.
The 24-year-old striker, the national team's leading scorer with eight, delivered the game-winner against Paraguay in August and scored the opening goal against Australia last month.
Park thinks the Taeguk Warriors' hope for success against Ghana depends on Korea's ability to start well.
"African players are well-built and have good speed and skills,'' said Park, who has two goals and assists in France this season.
"However, I think the Korean team has better team chemistry. If we survive the early phase of the game, we will have several chances.''
Lee, a Jubilo Iwata forward, is seeking to reignite his scoring touch.
The 24-year-old, who has scored seven goals with Huh's team, has failed to find the net in his past seven international caps.
English Premier Leaguers Park Ji-sung of Manchester United and Lee Chung-yong of Bolton Wanderers will man the flanks.
Although Park has been ruled out of Manchester United's last four games due to a virus, he is expected to play a key role for the team as a captain.
Depending on the situation, the manager will use the 28-year-old as an attacking midfielder.
Huh plans to test SC Freiburg defender Cha Du-ri, who returned to the team after a three-year absence, on the four-man back line, along with Lee Yong-pyo of Al-Hilal, Lee Jung-soo of Kyoto Purple Sanga and Cho Yong-hyung of Jeju United.
"I will give some playing time to Cha,'' Huh said on Monday.
"I have not decided yet if he will start or come off the bench. How well he plays is what matters, not how long.''