South Korea has drawn tough counterparts in the final Asian qualification round
for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
In a draw held Friday at the Asian Football Confederation headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, South Korea, No. 30 in the FIFA rankings, was paired with Iran, Uzbekistan, Qatar and Lebanon in Group A.
Ten countries have qualified for the final round. Group B features Australia, Iraq, Jordan, Oman and Japan.
Iran, 51st in the world, could present the biggest challenge for South Korea.
The three-time World Cup participant ranked first in Group E in the previous round with three wins and three draws. It poured in 17 goals, more than any other country in that phase.
South Korea has posted nine wins, nine losses and seven draws against Iran, but has won just one of the last seven meetings.
The two clashed in the quarterfinals at each of the last five Asian Cup tournaments.
Also, South Korea has never won on the Iranian soil, with two losses and two draws.
Uzbekistan, at 67th on the FIFA rankings, could also give South Korea trouble. It topped Group C in the previous round with five wins and a draw, led by captain Server Djeparov, the 2008 and 2011 Asian Footballer of the Year, and striker Alexander Geynrikh.
Uzbekistan is looking to play in its first World Cup.
Lebanon has already given South Korea plenty of trouble. The two countries were paired in Group B in the prior round, and Lebanon's stunning 2-1 upset of Korea led to the firing of head coach Cho Kwang-rae last December.
The defeat jeopardized South Korea's chances of advance, before it edged Kuwait to qualify on the final day of group stage last month. Lebanon enters the final round as the lowest-ranked nation at 124th.
Qatar, ranked 88th, was undefeated in the third round play. It has beaten South Korea just once in five head-to-head matches so far.
South Korean head coach Choi Kang-hee said the draw "was not bad."
"A road trip to Iran is difficult, but it's the same with trips to other parts of Middle East," Choi said through Korea Football Association, the local football governing body. "It's all about preparations."
Choi pointed to striker Lee Dong-gook as the key player. The reigning MVP in the domestic K-League has scored three times in his last two international contests, after rejoining the national team following two-year absence.
"It's important for him to maintain his current form," Choi said. "Since last season, he's been playing so well.
If he stays committed and works hard, I am sure he will continue to play
excellent football."
The 10 qualifying countries were seeded based on the latest FIFA rankings, which were released Wednesday.
Australia at No. 20 and South Korea at No. 30 were the top two-ranked qualifiers and were placed in the first pot, thus ensuring they would not be
paired in the same group.
The 33rd-ranked Japan and Iran, at 51st, were the next two among qualifiers and were put in the second pot.
South Korea will start on June 8 with a road match against Qatar and end the campaign on June 18 next year with a home game against Iran.
The top two teams from each group will punch their tickets to Brazil. The two third-place nations will enter a playoff for an extra chance to qualify.
South Korea has played in every World Cup since 1986, and co-hosted the 2002 tournament with Japan.
South Korea was a surprise semifinalist at the 2002 World Cup, slashing football giants Portugal, Italy and Spain en route to the fourth-place finish.
South Korea made it to the round of 16 at the 2010 event in South Africa, the first appearance in the knockout phase in an away World Cup. (Yonhap News)
In a draw held Friday at the Asian Football Confederation headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, South Korea, No. 30 in the FIFA rankings, was paired with Iran, Uzbekistan, Qatar and Lebanon in Group A.
Ten countries have qualified for the final round. Group B features Australia, Iraq, Jordan, Oman and Japan.
Iran, 51st in the world, could present the biggest challenge for South Korea.
The three-time World Cup participant ranked first in Group E in the previous round with three wins and three draws. It poured in 17 goals, more than any other country in that phase.
South Korea has posted nine wins, nine losses and seven draws against Iran, but has won just one of the last seven meetings.
The two clashed in the quarterfinals at each of the last five Asian Cup tournaments.
Also, South Korea has never won on the Iranian soil, with two losses and two draws.
Uzbekistan, at 67th on the FIFA rankings, could also give South Korea trouble. It topped Group C in the previous round with five wins and a draw, led by captain Server Djeparov, the 2008 and 2011 Asian Footballer of the Year, and striker Alexander Geynrikh.
Uzbekistan is looking to play in its first World Cup.
Lebanon has already given South Korea plenty of trouble. The two countries were paired in Group B in the prior round, and Lebanon's stunning 2-1 upset of Korea led to the firing of head coach Cho Kwang-rae last December.
The defeat jeopardized South Korea's chances of advance, before it edged Kuwait to qualify on the final day of group stage last month. Lebanon enters the final round as the lowest-ranked nation at 124th.
Qatar, ranked 88th, was undefeated in the third round play. It has beaten South Korea just once in five head-to-head matches so far.
South Korean head coach Choi Kang-hee said the draw "was not bad."
"A road trip to Iran is difficult, but it's the same with trips to other parts of Middle East," Choi said through Korea Football Association, the local football governing body. "It's all about preparations."
Choi pointed to striker Lee Dong-gook as the key player. The reigning MVP in the domestic K-League has scored three times in his last two international contests, after rejoining the national team following two-year absence.
"It's important for him to maintain his current form," Choi said. "Since last season, he's been playing so well.
If he stays committed and works hard, I am sure he will continue to play
excellent football."
The 10 qualifying countries were seeded based on the latest FIFA rankings, which were released Wednesday.
Australia at No. 20 and South Korea at No. 30 were the top two-ranked qualifiers and were placed in the first pot, thus ensuring they would not be
paired in the same group.
The 33rd-ranked Japan and Iran, at 51st, were the next two among qualifiers and were put in the second pot.
South Korea will start on June 8 with a road match against Qatar and end the campaign on June 18 next year with a home game against Iran.
The top two teams from each group will punch their tickets to Brazil. The two third-place nations will enter a playoff for an extra chance to qualify.
South Korea has played in every World Cup since 1986, and co-hosted the 2002 tournament with Japan.
South Korea was a surprise semifinalist at the 2002 World Cup, slashing football giants Portugal, Italy and Spain en route to the fourth-place finish.
South Korea made it to the round of 16 at the 2010 event in South Africa, the first appearance in the knockout phase in an away World Cup. (Yonhap News)
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