South Korea’s World Cup team is set for an all-or-nothing showdown Saturday with Uruguay for a ticket to the quarterfinals at the South African tournament.

After a 2-2 draw with Nigeria in the last group match on Tuesday in Durban, South Korea, led by Huh Jung-moo, finished second behind Argentina in the Group B standings and advanced to the knockout stage for the first time on foreign soil.

South Korea has made it to the second round only once, in 2002, when the team played at home, but has never made it to the knockout stage in away tournaments despite having played in six straight World Cup tournaments, from 1986 in Mexico to 2006 in Germany.

South Korea goes up against the Uruguayans, coached by Oscar Tabarez, on Saturday at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth. Uruguay, a strong contender in this year’s finals, finished atop the Group A with two victories and a draw.

The South American team, champions of the first World Cup in 1930 and again in 1950, have not conceded a single goal against France, South Africa and Mexico in the group-stage matches.

“Nobody can predict the outcome (of the match against Uruguay) as it will be a single-round showdown. We’ve reached our initial goal of reaching the round of the top 16, but where we will end up, no one knows. We will achieve a much bigger goal,” Huh said at a press conference after his team’s match with Nigeria.

In the 1990 World Cup in Italy, South Korea faced Uruguay in the third group-stage match and lost 1-0. At that time, Huh was a trainer of the Korean team and Tabarez was Uruguay’s national team coach.

South Korea versus Uruguay

The South American team, 16th in world football rankings, holds a 4-0 edge overall against South Korea.

Tabarez predicted a tough fight with the Koreans, citing strong attributes of the Korean team.

“(They are) good physically, very strong and have several attacking moves which are very definite,” Tabarez recently said at a press conference at Kimberley, where his team’s base camp was located.

Similar to his strategy in the previous match against Nigeria, Huh is expected to employ a 4-4-2 formation, with Park Chu-young and Yeom Ki-hun as starting frontline attackers.

Captain and English Premiere Leaguers Park Ji-sung and Lee Chung-yong are likely to serve as left and right wingers, respectively, with Kim Jung-woo and Ki Sung-yueng filling in the midfield.

Lee Jung-soo and Cho Yong-hyung will probably be placed as center fullbacks. Veteran defender Lee Young-pyo is expected to hold the left defense post, but the right fullback position is up for grabs between Cha Duri and Oh Beom-seok. Goalie Jung Sung-ryong is expected to make his fourth appearance in South Africa.

Uruguay’s offense will most likely be be led by Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez, Edison Cavani and Diego Lugano, and the defense by Diego Godin. Goalie Fernando Muslera is expected to guard the Uruguayan goal post.

Related posts:

1. Fifa World Cup : Uruguay coach commends South Koreans but notes ‘defense problems’
2. FIFA World Cup Updates : South Korea aiming at Uruguay’s rear flank zones : midfielder
3. World Cup News : South Korean Coach Huh looks to fix team’s defensive gap on right side
4. South Korea football team eliminated from World Cup after 2-1 loss to Uruguay
5. Fifa World Cup : South Korea to take on Uruguay in second round after drawing Nigeria to make the final 16