S. Korea gear up for World Cup qualifier against UAE

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- A heading specialist and an up-and-coming striker, both flanked by Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung: South Korea plan to tap the combination to press the United Arab Emirates in an Asian World Cup qualifier on Wednesday in Seoul.

Jeong Shung-hoon, a 29-year-old, 190-centimeters-tall striker, will lead the
offense along with Shin Young-rok, the 22-year-old who has long served as a
staple forward on South Korea's under-23 squad, insiders said.
Park will aid the two strikers from the left side, hoping to help South Korea
bounce back from a disappointing 1-1 draw with North Korea in their opener of the
final Asian qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.
After last month's draw, South Korea, ranked 55th in the world by FIFA, has only
a point, while the UAE, standing at 110th, have lost both of their previous
final-round qualifiers.
The UAE have lost seven times to South Korea and won only twice in their past
face-offs. Struggling with poor performances in the ongoing qualifiers, the team
recently had its head coach sacked.
South Korea will deploy its veteran midfielder, Lee Young-pyo, as part of its
four-man defense line, the insiders said, hoping that the former Premier League
player who is now with Germany's Borussia Dortmund will orchestrate the fairly
young squad, they said.
Ten Asian teams are competing in the final qualifying series, with two top teams
from each group of five allowed to advance to the World Cup finals.
The third-placed teams from each group will play against each other, with the
winner later facing off against the top squad from Oceania.
South Korea are grouped in Asian Group II with the UAE, North Korea, Iran and
Saudi Arabia.