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World Cup outsiders North Korea arrive in Johannesburg
JOHANNESBURG - World Cup rank outsiders North Korea arrived here Tuesday morning vowing to punch above their weight in only a second appearance at the tournament.
‘It is great for North Korea to come to the World Cup in South Africa and we have a great desire for success in the tournament,’ coach Kim Jong Hun said via an interpreter at Johannesburg international airport.
Clear, cool late autumn weather greeted the 2000-1 no-hopers who must face five-time world champions Brazil, 2006 semi-finalists Portugal and African giants Ivory Coast in the first round.
But none of their rivals will need reminding of what happened the last time a team from the most secretive state on earth competed at the four-yearly international football showcase.
North Korea held Chile 1-1 and stunned Italy 1-0 in England to reach the quarter-finals where they led Portugal by three goals before Eusebio rescued his side with four goals in a 5-3 triumph.
Nicknamed ‘Chollima’ after a mythical horse too fast to be mounted, the Asians launch their Group G campaign on June 15 against Brazil at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
An equally demanding task awaits them at the new 70,000-seat Cape Town Stadium six days later against Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Portugal and they must contend with Ivorian superstar Didier Drogba on June 25 in Nelspruit.
Just qualifying for South Africa was a massive achievement for 54-year-old Kim and a largely home-based team bolstered by two professionals from Japan and one from Russia.
Although written off as football cannon fodder by the bookmakers, they will arguably be among the best prepared of the 32 World Cup contenders having been together since late last year.
The Koreans started with a training camp in the western French city of Nantes where they drew 0-0 with Congo and have also played in South America, Central America, Africa and other European countries.
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