Who: Portugal vs South Korea, Group H
Where: Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar
When: Friday, December 2, 6pm (15:00 GMT)
FIFA Ranking: Portugal (9), South Korea (28)
South Korea will have to beat a Portugal side that have already secured qualification to the last 16 if they are to stand a chance of making it out of the group.
The two teams last met at the 2002 World Cup when South Korea won 1-0 on home soil, securing qualification to the last 16 and eliminating Portugal in the process.
This time it is Portugal that could knock the South Koreans out. The Portuguese have the upper hand, having scored five goals in two matches and secured six points. They will guarantee their place at the top of this group by avoiding defeat.
South Korea head into their final game with a single point, earned during a cagey goalless draw with Uruguay in their opening match. They lost to Ghana 3-2 in a thrilling, high-octane second match.
In addition to beating Portugal, South Korea will need the group’s other match between Uruguay and Ghana to go their way. The South Koreans will need Uruguay to beat Ghana, but narrowly.
Uruguay and South Korea are currently level in the fair play table. If this remains the case and nothing – points, goal difference, goals scored or fair play – separates the teams, then a random draw will decide the qualification.
The South Korean players showed the high-quality football they are capable of in their game against Ghana, scoring two identical quickfire goals in the second half and almost staging a remarkable comeback. Against Portugal, they’ll need to do even better.
