ABU DHABI // If South Korea are to be crowned Asian Cup champions this month, they will have to first learn how to beat teams from the Middle East, according to Ji-sung Park, the Manchester United midfielder who wears the captain's armband for his country.
Park will lead his nation out against Bahrain next Monday night in Doha as Korea begin their group stage campaign aiming to secure their first Asian Cup title for more than 50 years.
Park acknowledges that his side, grouped together with Australia, India and Bahrain, will be favourites to progress, but concedes Kwang-rae Cho's men must cope better with the physicality of Middle Eastern football if they are to return to Seoul with the trophy.
Korea have not won the Asian Cup since victory on home soil in 1960 and in recent years have fallen to Gulf opponents. Back-to-back defeats by Kuwait in 1996 and 2000, were followed up by a 4-3 loss to Iran in 2004 before again suffering at the hands of the Arab world in 2007 when they were defeated in the semi-finals by eventual winners Iraq.
"Always in our history we have lost against the Middle Eastern teams," Park said, after helping his side ease to a 2-0 warm-up win over UAE Pro League side Al Jazira last night. "For us, we have to prepare better for the games against sides from this region.
"If we can beat them then we can easily win the title because we know how to deal with the Japans and Chinas and Australias. We have lots of experience against these sides, but we do not have any good experiences against teams from the middle of Asia. That is why we have to concentrate on beating them."
Coach Kwang-rae has one of the strongest squads in the tournament and his assistant Alexandre Torreira da Gama Lima said Korea will arrive in Qatar confident and motivated to win.
"The objective is to win the championship because for 51 years Korea has not won," said the Brazilian. "Everybody is mentally prepared to give 100 per cent to help the country achieve this."
Seven of the 11 Korean players who started last night's final warm-up match ply their trade outside their home country and it is this experience Park believes stands his side in good stead for success this month.
"The 2002 squad [that reached the World Cup semi-finals] was the strongest for me, but this team now has many young players who, if they continue to improve and meet their potential, can become the strongest team I've played with.
"Many of them play in Europe where football is very different, but to play at international level is tough and the experience of playing in Europe helps," said Park, who added an Asian Cup title would eclipse the Champions League medal he won with Manchester United in 2008.
"To win the Asian Cup would be special because if we want to be recognised as the strongest team in Asia then we have to win this cup."
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Jawan
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
The five pillars of Islam
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Results
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
9.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Dubai Canal, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Al Ain Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Harrab, Bernardo Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri
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