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Asian Cup: South Korea to go all-out vs. Australia

January 16, 2015

Son Heung-min (front) has recovered from cold and is ready to go. (Yonhap)

BRISBANE (Yonhap) — South Korea has already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals at the AFC Asian Cup, but head coach Uli Stielike said Friday his team won’t be satisfied with merely reaching the knockout stage.

With the top seed in Group A on the line, Stielike said he won’t settle for anything less than a victory against Australia.

The host nation only needs a draw to win the group, thanks to its superior goal differential, while South Korea must win to take the group. The kickoff is 7 p.m. local time, 6 p.m. in Seoul, and 1 a.m. Saturday in Los Angeles.

“I am not the type who plays for a draw,” Stielike said at the pre-match press conference at Brisbane Stadium. “We’ll go after the victory over Australia and the first place in our group.”

Both countries have won their first two matches, but in vastly different styles. Australia has scored eight goals in those two wins over Oman and Kuwait, while South Korea beat the two opponents by the identical scores of 1-0.

Stielike said defeating Australia will be important for South Korea’s long-term benefit.

“If we can beat Australia and then win the championship, it will be a huge boost to our confidence,” he added. “A win tomorrow will have a positive impact on our squad and the rest of the tournament. This is why we absolutely have to win tomorrow.”

Stielike was shorthanded in the second match against Kuwait on Tuesday, with a handful of players sidelined with injuries and illnesses. He said he won’t make an excuse out of the team’s current situation.

“We’ve experienced a lot of problems over the past five days with some sick players, but we still have to do our best on the field,” he said. “I don’t know who will start tomorrow’s match. I will have to discuss with our trainers to get a clearer answer.”

Stielike noted, however, that the ones that sat out the Kuwait match, including winger Son Heung-min and attacking midfielder Koo Ja-cheol, have returned to full strength.

Stielike has been tinkering with his defensive combinations since taking over South Korea in October. When asked if his juggling acts might have compromised some defensive stability, Stielike said he had no choice but to make changes because of injuries and illnesses to players.

“When I first arrived in South Korea, I wanted to test different sets of players,” he said. “But so far at this tournament, I was forced to make the moves I made. I couldn’t put in players who weren’t 100 percent. I am not here to win the tournament by switching my lineup. That’s never been my intention.”

Stielike presented South Korea’s three consecutive clean sheet victories — the two wins at the Asian Cup and the 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia in a friendly match before the tournament — as evidence that his defense hasn’t been affected by frequent personnel changes.

Stielike added that he doesn’t feel any extra pressure of facing the host nation, and the goal is to put on an entertaining show “for the fans who pay a lot of money for their tickets.”

In his own presser earlier Friday, Australia coach Ange Postecoglou said he will rest some players against South Korea. Stielike claimed he won’t pay too much attention to the Australian lineup, saying how his own team fares is more important to him.

“As the records show, Australia is an excellent side all across the board,” Stielike added. “But we’re not worried about who will play and how they will play. Our own preparation for the match is more important.”

The Group A winner will travel to Melbourne to face the runner-up from Group B. Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan are fighting for that spot.

The Group A runner-up will remain in Brisbane and take on Group B winner China, which has clinched the spot with two straight victories.