South Korea v Laos: Hwaseong hosts hunting goals
South Korea manager Uli Stielike is desperate to see his side score goals, starting with their World Cup qualifier against Laos.
Uli Stielike will be hoping his South Korea side can return to some goal-scoring form, when they host Laos in an AFC World Cup qualifier in Hwaseong.
Thursday's clash pits the top nation in Group G against the cellar-dwellers Laos, but the pressure is on the Koreans to score - having not done so in free play in over three-and-a-half hours.
Stielike's men managed to clinch the East Asian Cup despite the goals drying up after their 2-0 win over China, with a 1-1 draw to Japan - scoring from the spot - and a scoreless stalemate against neighbours North Korea enough to earn the trophy.
The German coach has recalled Suk Hyun-jun in an attempt to end their drought, the Vitoria Setubal man looking to add to his lone international cap against either Laos or Lebanon (September 8).
Kim Seung-dae held his spot in the squad, but other attackers Kim Shin-wook and Lee Jung-hyub were absent from the 23-man group - putting the onus on Suk and uncapped Seongnam forward Hwang Ui-jo to lead the line.
Son Heung-min, who recently joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen, is also available - and can complement the strikers given his 11 goals in 44 internationals.
Hwang, 23, has scored 10 K-League goals in 25 appearances this season, leading to his call-up.
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Joining Hwang in being other potential debutants in the squad are goalkeepers Kwoun Sun-tae and Kim Dong-jun, the pair deputising for Ulsan custodian Kim Seung-gyu.
The two nations will face one another for the first time, with Laos looking to bounce back from their 2-0 home loss to Lebanon in their most recent qualifier.
Since that defeat, Dave Booth's men lost to Thai club Nakhon Ratchasima 3-1 before a 2-1 friendly win over Cambodia to prepare for the clash against the Koreans.