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Foreign-trained players lead S. Korea
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- When South Korea meets world No. 1 France in the opening match of this year's Confederations Cup, it will pin its hope on forward Hwang Sun-hong and nine other foreign-trained players. "Confidence is most important. No team is unbeatable. Those foreign-trained players can do it," South Korea's newly hired Dutch head coach Guus Hiddink said on national television. Hiddink's Dutch team delivered a humiliating 5-0 defeat to South Korea in an elimination round in the 1998 World Cup in France, which cost South Korean head coach Cha Bum-kun his job. Ironically, South Korea early this year recruited Hiddink to take the helm of its national team. He was given a tough mission: advance the team to a 16-nation second round competition in next year's World Cup. South Korea has made five appearances in World Cup finals but never posted a win or advanced to the second round. It now hopes to test whether it has such ability to achieve the goal through this week's Confederations Cup. South Korea meets France on Wednesday in Taegu city. South Korea, along with France, reigning champion Mexico and Australia, belongs to Group A. Japan-based Group B is comprised of Brazil, Cameroon, Canada and co-host Japan. Hiddink admits that South Korea is the underdog in Group A, but predicts that his team, augmented by 10 foreign-trained players, will make a good showing. Leading the South Korean forward lineup are Hwang Sun-hong, a 33-year-old striker from Japan's Kashiwa Reysol, and Seol Ki-hyun, 22, from Belgium's Royal Antwerp. The defense line is headed by Hong Myong-bo, 32, and Yoo Sang-chul, 30, both from Kashiwa Reysol of Japan and 30-year-old Kang Chul from Austria's Lask Linz.
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