Coach Cho Kwang-Rae knows the World Cup quarter-finalists are not going to be a walk in the park but is still expected to make changes in his starting eleven.
Since September last year, the Taegeuk Warriors have ‘severed’ ties with defeats. They have recorded an unbeaten record of 11 games with the latest against Serbia in an international friendly that ended 2-1 in their favour.
Both teams are expected to put up an entertaining match in Seoul that will flow throughout the game as the two tacticians are highly expected to employ strategies to protect their record. Kwang-Rae has recorded eight wins, four draws and one defeat in his tenure. The tactician is also expected to make some changes in his starting line-up to experiment with his formation as well as study other players.
Maintaining winning ways
Ghana, undoubtedly one of the most motivated African sides at the moment, will be looking forward to maintain their winning ways against South Korea this Tuesday in an international friendly. Currently ranked as the best in Africa, the Black Stars, under coach Goran Stevanovic, who is yet to taste a defeat at his new post, will enforce their new found attacking strategy to beat a faster Korean side.
The last time the west Africans met the Taegeuk Warriors five years back at the same venue, it was the Asians that met their waterloo. The score was 3-1 for Ghana. Striker Asamoah Gyan, who hit a brace for the four-time African champions, is still around and has transformed into a better goal scoring machine than ever, but the other scorer Michael Essien, who just returned to the squad after a hiatus is unavailable for the game.
Ghana is expected to make changes to their starting line-up compared to the one that faced Congo in their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Kumasi last Friday. Captain John Mensah picked a knock in that game and Udinese’s Jonathan Mensah is most likely to replace him.
AC Milan’s Kevin-Prince Boateng is also unavailable as he was due to fly back to Milan for further checks on an injury he sustained in the Serie A. In addition, the squad left Ghana on Saturday without Essien, Prince Tagoe, Andre Ayew, Samuel Inkoom and second goalkeeper Sammy Adjei. Some new faces are therefore expected in the squad on Tuesday.
FORM GUIDE
South Korea
3 June: Korea 2:1 Serbia (Friendly)
25 March: Korea 4:0 Honduras (Friendly)
9 February: Turkey 0:0 Korea (Friendly)
28 January: Uzbekistan 2:3 Korea (Asia)
25 January: Japan 2:2 Korea (Asia)
Ghana
3 June: Ghana 3-1 Congo (Afcon qualifier)
29 March: England 1-1 Ghana (Friendly)
27 March: Congo 0:3 Ghana (Afcon qualifier)
8 February: Togo 1:4 Ghana (Friendly)
10 October: Ghana 0:0 Sudan (Afcon qualifier)
TEAM NEWS
Korea
Sunderland target Ji Dong-Won could start with more playing time granted. Wolfsburg's Koo Ja-Cheol can be used in a more attacking role behind Park Chu-Young since Lee Keun-Ho did not impress in the Serbia game and may be dropped. Midfielder Kim Bo-Kyeong is also likely to get more playing time against Ghana.
Probable Line-up:
Jung SR; Cha DR, Hong JH, Lee JS, Kim YG; Ki SH, Lee YR, Lee CY, Kim JW, Koo Ja-Cheol; Park CY
Ghana
The Black Stars have arrived in the Korean capital, Seoul. Some key stars are unavailable for the friendly as a result of injury and seeing to personal issues. Captain John Mensah, Michael Essien, Prince Tagoe, Samuel Inkoom, Sammy Adjei, Andre Ayew and Kevin-Prince Boateng have all been ruled out of the test game.
Probable Line-up:
Richard Kingson; John Paintsil, Daniel Opare, Jonathan Mensah, Isaac Vorsah; Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Derek Boateng, Andre Ayew, Kwadwo Asamoah, Prince Tagoe, Asamoah Gyan
PREDICTION
Total home support will go against the Black Stars, but they have shone on bigger stages before to have a cause to complain. Both sides have equal chances to win this game although it appears the west Africans are more compact. It could end in a draw.
South Korea 2-2 Ghana
