Win or go home. That’s the cold reality for both Spain and South Korea as they get set for their make-or-break clash at Lansdowne Stadium later tonight. Only a victory will do for either side so expect both teams to lay it all on the line in this mouth-watering Group E showdown.
Who will emerge victorious in this match and grab that all-important seat in the knock-out stages? Read on below for an in-depth preview of this critical showdown and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of England vs. Colombia and Mexico vs. France.
South Korea’s World Cup campaign is definitely hanging in the balance after it was held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by Costa Rica on Saturday. The result leaves the South Koreans at the bottom of the Group E table with just a point in two games.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]South Korea looked on the verge of securing its first ever World Cup victory but Karla Villalobos dashed the Koreans’ dreams with a late 89th-minute strike. It was a frustrating outcome for South Korea who outshot Costa Rica in total attempts (16-11) and in the shots on target department (8-2).
All is not yet lost for the Asian powerhouse, though, as a victory against Spain later tonight will send them through to the knock-out rounds. For South Korea to grab the crucial victory this evening, it’s crucial that they dominate possession once again. Good things happen when you have control of the football and that was certainly the case in South Korea’s last match against Costa Rica.
The Koreans had 53% of the possession in their game against Costa Rica, a vast improvement from their 38% output in their match against Brazil. They need that same amount of ball possession against the Spaniards for them to impose their will on the offensive end and dictate the tempo of the match.
Expected to lead the South Korean attack is the prolific So-Yun Ji. She was simply phenomenal in the match against Costa Rica, creating plenty of chances for South Korea in the final third. After a lackluster showing against Brazil in their tournament opener, Ji finally made her mark in this match, coolly dispatching a 21st-minute penalty. Ji has now scored 39 goals in 77 appearances for the South Korean national team.
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Betting on Spain
Spain’s World Cup campaign may have started off on the wrong foot but there were still plenty of positives for the Spaniards to take heading into their winner-take-all clash with South Korea later tonight. Even though they lost 1-0 to Brazil on Sunday, the Spaniards will take comfort in the fact that it wasn’t a one-sided contest and that they gave their highly favored opponents fits the entire match.
In fact, the Spaniards controlled the game for much of the first half but unfortunately for them, Brazil closed the half with a flurry. Andressa Alves pounced on a 44th-minute rebound to swing the momentum in Brazil’s favor. Other teams could have folded right then and there but not this battling Spain side. They even could have grabbed a valuable point but Irene Paredes’ shot in second-half stoppage time agonizingly bounced off the post.
That performance, though, will give Spain all the confidence it needs heading to its showdown with South Korea. For them to grab all three points against the South Koreans, the Spaniards need to improve on their ball possession. Spain only had 42% of the possession in their match against Brazil. That clearly had an effect on their attacks as Spain was only able to create seven shot attempts against Brazil with none of those going on target.
The onus now is on Vero Boquete to pick up the scoring cudgels for Spain. She’s the creative heart of this Spanish side but unfortunately for Boquete, she hasn’t set this tournament alight just yet. Surprisingly, she hasn’t scored a goal in this competition thus far. She has racked up 29 goals in 50 international caps for Spain in her career.
