Staff reporter
Back in the 2002 World Cup, South Korea came through some tough encounters before its miraculous campaign came to an end in the semifinals. This year, in contrast, expectations are mounting that it could repeat that run with fewer obstacles along the way.
As favorites stumbled in the first-round matches, the Taeguk Warriors have managed to avoid facing the highest-ranked powerhouses in their bracket of the knockout stage.
One team out of Korea, Uruguay, the United States and Ghana will reach the semifinals. All of those squads, including Korea, have reason to dream of a far better-than-expected finish at the tournament.
A 2-2 draw with Nigeria secured second place in Group B for the East Asians, who will play Uruguay in Port Elizabeth, Saturday, in a showdown for a place in the quarterfinals.
Uruguay topped Group A with a 1-0 win over Mexico, Tuesday, while the 2006 runner-up France was sent packing with a shocking winless tally.
The winner of that match will meet either the United States or Ghana in a battle for a spot in the final four.
In its surprise 2002 campaign, South Korea was placed in a tough group, meeting Poland, the United States and Portugal. After progressing to the latter stages, it had to get past Italy and Spain before finally succumbing to Germany.
Chances appear to be fairly even for the four nations.
Uruguay has won the World Cup title twice in the inaugural competition in 1930 and again in 1950, but it hasn't reached the knockout rounds since it lost in the semifinals in 1970. The South American country hadn't topped a group stage since the 1954 tournament.
The United States hasn't come near its semifinal run back in 1930, except for a quarterfinal appearance in 2002, while Ghana's best World Cup result so far is the round of 16 four years ago, when the Africans were ousted by Brazil.
South Korea's captain Park Ji-sung said Wednesday that he is not fully content with what the team has achieved so far, echoing former national team manager Guus Hiddink who said he was "still hungry" after reaching the knockout stage in 2002.
"Even though we made it to the top 16, we can't be complacent with that," the Manchester United midfielder said after the squad's training session in Rustenburg.
"All the matches ahead of us are tough and important. We will do our utmost to produce a memorable result.
"I have a good feeling about the venue because Nelson Mandela Stadium is where we claimed the first victory over Greece. We will be able to play a good game again there."
Many title favorites are facing a more difficult path to reach the finals.
Three-time champion Germany, leader in Group D, will rekindle its rivalry with England in its next match. The two countries each have 12 wins from the past 27 encounters, and three draws.
To their dismay, however, the winner is likely to meet another title favorite, Argentina, in the quarterfinals.
Elsewhere, either Brazil or Portugal is expected to square up against another big gun, Spain.
Italy, which is unlikely to finish ahead of Paraguay in Group F, would have to play Group E winner the Netherlands in its round of 16 match.
16강 진출 ... 8강의 꿈은 '가능'
2002 한일 월드컵 때 한국은 4강의 기적을 이루기 전에 많은 걸림돌에 부딪혔다. 하지만 이번 월드컵에서 그 신화를 다시 재연할 가능성이 높다는 기대가 많아지고 있다.
태극 전사들은 우승 후보들이 조별리그에서 흔들리는 것으로 인해 유력 국가들을 만나는 것을 피했다.
한국, 우루과이, 미국과 가나 중에 한 팀이 4강으로 진출한다. 한국을 포함한 이 팀들은 월드컵에서 예상보다 나은 결과를 바래도 된다.
한국은 나이지리아와 2-2로 비기고 조별리그에서 2위를 기록했으며 26일 포트 엘리자베스 경기장에 우루과이와 16강 경기를 펼친다.
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