Park wants more against Argentina

13 June 2010 08:19

South Korea skipper Park Ji-sung is plotting a major World Cup shock when he leads his side into battle with big guns Argentina on Thursday.

The 29-year-old Manchester United midfielder scored as South Korea kicked off their Group B campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over Greece to set themselves up perfectly for their clash with Diego Maradona's men in Johannesburg.

Park said: "Argentina is, of course, the strongest team in our group and people are saying they could make the final. They have a lot of top international players."

He added: "Before the World Cup, we played a friendly against Spain and we thought about Argentina as we were playing that game.

"Of course, there is a lot of difference between the two teams, but the unexpected can happen in this World Cup, and that is what we are looking to do."

South Korea took the lead at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth with just seven minutes gone when central defender Lee Jung-soo volleyed home Ki Sung-yueng's free-kick, and they never looked like relinquishing their advantage as Greece toiled in the search for an equaliser.

Park's 52nd-minute strike after he capitalised on an error by defender Avraam Papadopoulos secured the points on an afternoon when the Asian side's movement and pace won out over Greece's more direct approach.

Huh Jung-moo, who became the first South Korean-born coach to lead his country to a World Cup finals victory, said: "The first game of any tournament is difficult, but my players really played very well, so I am very grateful. But we are just at the beginning now. We have more matches to play and we have to prepare for those games just as well."

Greece boss Otto Rehhagel admitted that his team had been second-best on the day.

He said: "We were unlucky in a couple of situations towards the end of the match, but it was a deserved victory for South Korea."

Source: PA