URUGUAY V SOUTH KOREA(Today, Port Elizabeth, 3pm RTÉ2, BBC1) :URUGUAY COACH Oscar Tabarez will send his side into World Cup battle with South Korea dreaming of emulating the heroes of his childhood.
Tabarez was just three when Uruguay won the World Cup in 1950, the second and most recent occasion they lifted the trophy, and he remembers the reverence with which the men who achieved that feat were treated – and indeed, still are – in his native country.
Sixty years on from that triumph in Brazil, the South Americans will attempt to book a place in the quarter-finals of the same tournament in South Africa.
Tabarez said: “For Uruguayans and for myself, to talk about that team is to talk about people who are right up there in heaven. We hold them in extraordinary esteem.
“I was three years old when they won the World Cup in 1950 and throughout my childhood, I heard talk about those champions.
“We still think that is out of our reach, but we have our hopes and our dreams. We are going to continue to try doing our best and let history be.”
Uruguay eased through Group A without conceding a goal, sparking France’s ignominious downfall with a 0-0 draw on opening day and then sending hosts South Africa hurtling towards the exit door with a 3-0 demolition job five days later.
A 1-0 win over Mexico ensured they topped the group and booked a showdown with South Korea at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Inevitably, the comfort of their qualification has raised expectations at home, although Tabarez insists they are under no more pressure than that which they put upon themselves.
“As far as we are concerned, it’s up to us. We can’t miss any chances, we have to try everything we can, and if there are things we can’t do, it’s because our opponent won’t let us play our game.
“But we are going to really do our best, we are going to make it really hard for our opponent to play us. We have reaped the benefits of this approach not only now, but in qualification.”
Tabarez has confirmed he will make only one change to the team which started against Mexico, with Mauricio Victorino replacing Diego Godin at the back.
Korea counterpart Huh Jung-moo, tongue firmly in cheek, suggested his side, which conceded six goals in its three group games, would simply have to score twice for every one conceded against Uruguay.
