PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP

G Lee Woon-Jae, Suwon Blue Wings (KOR)
D Hong Myung-Bo, Kashiwa Reysol (KOR)
D Choi Jin-Chul, Chonbuk Hyundai (KOR)
D Kim Tae-Young, Chunnam Dragons (KOR)
D Song Chung-gug, Pusan I.cons (KOR)
M Yoon Jung-Hwan, Cerezo Osaka (JAP)
M Lee Young-pyo, Anyang LG (KOR)
M Lee Eul-young, Bucheon SK (KOR)
M Ahn Jung-hwan, Perugia (ITA)
F Hwang Sun-hong, Kashiwa Reysol (KOR)
F Seol Ki-hyeon, Anderlecht (BEL)

HOSTS IN DANGER OF MAKING HISTORY

South Korean fans are worried.

In 14 tries, their team has yet to win a game at the World Cup -- and this time there's a lot more at stake. Could they be the first host team to fail to advance from the group stage?

The coach is Guus Hiddink, who has tried to accustom the Koreans to the principles of total football, playing his men in a variety of positions. After a long run of disappointing results, the team finally seems to be coming together, although they have yet to beat a quality opponent.

There remain a number of question marks. Hiddink has said he knows who his starting 11 will be, but if so, he's the only one who does.

The questions start at keeper, where neither Lee Woon-jae nor Kim Byung-il has been convincing lately. Kim, the keeper at France '98, can be dazzling at times, and is a fan favorite, but is given to simple mistakes and erratic decision-making.

Lee is the opposite, limited in scope and good at the basics. Right now Lee seems to have the edge.

The team has usually played a 3-5-2, although a strong 4-4-2 performance against Finland suggests another option is available.

A fixture in the back line is 32-year-old Hong Myung-bo, Korea's all-time leader in caps, who appears to have recovered from a stress fracture of the shin. He's a fine sweeper, intelligent in both defense and attack, although probably slower than he used to be.

Captain Yoo Sang-chul, active, quick, and decisive, has been playing central defense, but with Hong back, he will probably move to midfield.

At the moment the leading candidates for the other back line spots are Choi Jin-Chul on the right and Kim Tae-Young on the left. Choi is strong and good in the air; Kim has all-round skills and is a real battler, but at times temperamental. In a 4-4-2, Choi would probably share the center with Hong.

Encouraging to Korean supporters is the rise of 23-year-old Song Chong-gug, a potential starter either on the right side in defense or midfield. His enthusiasm occasionally finds him out of position, but he's a superb talent, quick, with excellent ball control, tackling and playmaking skills, and that Korean specialty, a tremendous long-range shot.

For the right wing other candidates are veteran Choi Sung-yong or newcomer Choi Tae-uk. The latter is very fast, the better dribbler and maybe the better attacker; the former is experienced, more consistent, and the better all-round player.

Kim Nam-il has recently made a case as a right-sided midfielder; he's a rough talent, modest in skill but aggressive, and with a good field sense. Yoon Jung-Hwan is a playmaking type, at times brilliant in attack but apt to neglect his defense.

On the left side of midfield we'll likely see Lee Young-pyo, who provides energy, good vision and ball skills, and occasional scoring power. Park Ji-sung, another typically active midfielder who's strong on free kicks, is another possibility here.

On the left wing one candidate is Lee Eul-young, an intelligent attacking player who's just now coming into his own. Then there's the speedy Lee Chun-soo, a rising star at 20, who can play on either wing.

The best of the strikers is Hwang Sun-hong, a creative center-forward who plays well with his back to goal and is good in the air. But he's 34, and very injury prone. Choi Yong-soo plays very aggressively and has a strong right foot, although there's not much finesse in his game.

Although this year's lineup is still unsettled, Korean football is a known quantity: fast, physical, with seemingly unlimited energy, but technically limited and unsure in front of goal.

Hiddink can do little to change this.

His chopping and changing has come in for a lot of criticism, but there are signs it may finally be paying off. No guarantees, but don't be at all surprised if Korea gets that first win.

Courtesy of our friends at World Cup Archive