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Staff reporter
A 2-2 draw with Nigeria saw South Korea progress to the round of 16 for the first time at an overseas World Cup, with four points and taking second place in Group B, Tuesday.
The Taeguk Warriors, who failed to impress at the previous six tournaments held outside Korea, proved they should be taken seriously.
In its three group matches, South Korea showed the team has improved its game in many aspects and has some worrisome weaknesses compared to its rivals in the top 16.
Both at home and abroad, experts seem to agree that the Korean midfielders are the country's lethal weapon.
Led by a trio of overseas-based players, team captain Park Ji-sung, Lee Chung-yong of Bolton Wanderers and Ki Sung-yueng of Celtic FC, created chances with fast and furious movements in a committed performances.
Park of Manchester United scored against Greece for a 2-0 lead and Lee made the goal against Argentina. Ki's free kicks led to Lee Jung-soo scoring against Greece and Nigeria.
Their incessant running put pressure on their opponents, distracting them from playing their own game.
Overshadowed by this trio, holding midfielder Kim Jung-woo was pivotal in breaking up attacks and protecting the defensive line.
Manager Huh Jung-moo may look for the last piece of the puzzle in a right back that will give him a better-organized backline.
South Korea has allowed six goals in three games. On most of those occasions, Cha Du-ri or Oh Beom-seok were exposed on the right flank and failed to prevent the ball being crossed.
Central defenders Lee Jung-soo and Cho Young-hyung were more solid in front of goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong, but at times they also looked shaky against Nigeria. The presence of veteran Lee Young-pyo was stellar at left back.
Another shortcoming is the problem of staying composed after giving up a goal.
The Taeguk Warriors conceded the first goal to both Argentina and Nigeria, and their rhythm was disrupted for a while after. During the Nigeria match, the Asians appeared worn out physically later in the game, slowing down the overall tempo.
South Korea, currently ranked 47th in the FIFA rankings, should also secure better attacking routes. In South Africa, Korea has five goals so far, with three coming from set-pieces and the others profiting from mistakes by its opponents.
The team rarely produces scoring chances through open play.
It will be interesting to watch if Korea can overcome these shortcomings and reach the quarterfinals against Group A winners, Uruguay on Saturday. The South Americans have never lost to Korea in their past four encounters.
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