South Korean defender Kim Min-jae said Tuesday that he and his teammates must stay alert against the skilled and speedy South African players in their final Group A match.
Kim Min-jae spoke at a prematch press conference on June 23 in Guadalupe, Mexico. "South African players have good skills, and they are also fast," he said. "We've been focusing on those areas during our preparation. But if we play the way we did in the two earlier matches, I think we should be able to come away with a win."
South Korea will face South Africa at 7 p.m. Wednesday local time at Estadio Monterrey. A win or draw would send South Korea through to the knockout stage.
Kim, 29, plays center back for Bayern Munich at his second World Cup. In coach Hong Myung-bo's back-three formation, he is flanked by debutants Lee Gi-hyuk and Lee Han-beom.