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Soccer News of Thursday, 8 October 2009

Source: fifa.com

Culture clash in Suez

Asia meets Africa in Suez as Korea Republic clash with Ghana. The path to the quarter-finals was very different for these sides, with the South Koreans comfortably dispatching Paraguay 3-0 in Cairo, while the Black Satellites needed extra time to make it through against South Africa.

The game Korea Republic-Ghana, Suez, Friday 9 October, 16:30 (local time)

The stakes

The first meeting between the teams at youth level sees a place in the last four of the FIFA U-20 World Cup up for grabs. Yet a quarter-final match at this level is not unknown territory for these two countries. Ghana have made it to the last eight in all five of their U-20 campaigns, while Korea Republic have been here on three previous occasions. Ironically, the South Koreans first defeat against an African side at the level came in this tournament, when they were defeated 2-0 by Cameroon in their opening match.

The stat

6 - Ghana are unbeaten against Asian opposition at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The Black Satellites have won five of their six encounters with AFC sides, beating United Arab Emirates, Japan, Kazakhstan, Iran and Uzbekistan, and drawing only the first match, played in 1997 against China PR.

The words

"My players have made me believe that they can do great things, but I'm urging them to forget about the last game and concentrate on this one. I'm worried about the threat Ghana will pose us. They are a very strong team," Hong Myung-Bo, Korea Republic coach.

"When you meet a team who look to be getting better as tournament progresses, then that's always a very tough prospect. They play beautiful, entertaining football which is fast and furious. We're extremely wary of them, but we're determined to advance," Sellas Tetteh, Ghana coach.