Kim: North Korea will not go quietly
Reuters - Thursday 24 June 2010, 16:47
NELSPRUIT, June 24 (Reuters) - North Korea have picked
themselves up from a 7-0 mauling by Portugal and will meet the
power of Ivory Coast head on in their final game of the 2010
World Cup finals, coach Kim Jong-hun said on Thursday.
While the North Koreans have failed to qualify for the
second round, Kim warned the West Africans that his side would
be battling for every inch in Nelspruit on Friday. Honour was at
stake, he said.
"The result of the game tomorrow will determine whether they
will go on to the last 16 so Ivory Coast will probably be
extremely aggressive," the coach told a news conference.
"Ivory Coast are a bigger side than us and they are probably
going to be physical but we will resist strongly and it won't
affect us that much."
North Korea won many admirers with their plucky, organised
display in a 2-1 defeat to Brazil in the group opener but their
first appearance at the World Cup finals since 1966 was marred
by the embarrassing defeat to Portugal.
While that result had shaken his side's confidence, Kim said
his players were over it and he would not make wholesale changes
for Friday's game.
"There will be no major changes," he added. "We conceded a
lot of goals in the Portugal game but we will put up a fight
against Ivory Coast.
"It's a chance for us to avenge ourselves and restore our
honour."