Georges Leekens, the combative Belgium manager, is promising a performance to retrieve his country's ailing reputation when they complete their qualifying programme against South Korea in the Parc des Princes this afternoon.

Leekens was so upset with the criticism which followed the 2-2 draw with Mexico last Saturday that he banned Belgian journalists from attending training sessions.

Compared with the match plan which defied Holland in a scoreless draw in the Stade de France, that was a flawed display, but the manager insisted that it warranted more merit than credited.

"It was a game which demanded a different way of playing from the meeting with Holland and, while I still feel we should have won it, I was upset with some of the things I read the following day," he said.

"The good thing is that we're still in with a chance of going to the next round. That's the incentive my players will take into the game and I'm certain their response will be positive."

To win today the Belgians require another big performance from Marc Wilmots, whose two goals against Mexico were testimony to his power when rumbling forward from midfield.

Less impressive has been the form of the front men, Luis Oliveira and Luc Nilis, and while Leekens refuses to be drawn on the point, he is likely to change the formation.

South Korea have done little to suggest that they can win. They did well to restrict Mexico to a 3-2 scoreline in Lyon before they were taken apart by Holland.

Belgium don't have the firepower of their Dutch neighbours, but it will surprise if they fail to win by a couple of goals.

Probable Teams Belgium: De Wilde or Vande Walle; Deflandre, Staelens, Vidovic, Borkelmans, Van der Elst or Clement, Scifo, Wilmots, van Kerckhoven, Oliveira, Nilis. South Korea: Kim Byung-ji; Lee Sang-hun, Hong, Kim Tae-young, Yoo Sang-chul, Lee Min-sung, Kim Do-keun, Choi Sung-yong, Ha Seokju, Choi Yong-soo, Seo Jung-won.