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| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
SOUTH KOREA  Jung SR Kim SS, Kwak TH, Lee JS, Choi HJ Kim JS, Kim DH, Ki SY, Lee KHLee DG, Park CY | KUWAIT  Al Khaldi Al Taher, Neda, Al Rashidi, Awadh Nayed, Al Ansari, Al Anzi, Al Atiqi Al Mutwa, Nasser |
The Taeguk Warriors must get a result from this clash to secure their progression to the fourth and final round of qualifiers, and given the limited preparation time for this game, new coach Choi Kang-Hee has named a predominantly K-League-based squad.
However, Celtic's Ki Sung-Yueng and Arsenal's Park Chu-Young, who both missed the weekend's 4-2 win over Uzbekistan, have made the long journey and are expected to start. Park is likely to begin alongside Lee Dong-Gook who grabbed a brace against the White Wolves.
Defenders Yaqoub Al Taher and Hussein Fadel are under injury clouds for Kuwait, while coach Goran Tufegdzic has ruled out Ahmed Agab, Khaled Khalaf and Naser Al Waheb already. Al Azraq must win in Seoul, so star striker Bader Al Mutwa has a key role to play alongside emerging 21-year-old forward Yousef Nasser.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
South Korea have won their two home group matches scoring nine goals and conceding just one.
- Incoming Arsenal striker Park Chu-Young has scored eight goals in his past five international appearances.
- New coach Choi Kang-Hee guided Jeonbuk Motors to the 2011 AFC Champions League final, before being handed the top Korean job.
- Kuwait lost 2-0 to China last week in their tune-up for this clash, although Tufegdzic said it was a good hit-out in terms of acclimatising to the conditions.
- Al-Azraq have scored five goals on their travels in this group, winning 3-2 at UAE and drawing 2-2 in Lebanon.
- The last time these two sides met was back in September, culminating in a 1-1 draw in Kuwait.
New South Korea coach Choi Kang-Hee produced an attacking approach in the friendly win against Uzbekistan and on that evidence they should have too much quality for Kuwait in this encounter, particularly with the stakes so high.
Editor's Prediction
South Korea 3-1 Kuwait 
