Jun 9, 2002 6 min read

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Tens of thousands of screaming fans, nearly all in red shirts, will be ready to greet the U.S. team. An entire nation will be fixed on the game, with businesses around the nation coming nearly to a halt.

Just like in 1990, the United States will be playing the World Cup host. Only this time, when the Americans meet South Korea at Daegu on Monday, they have a chance to advance to the second round.

“The good thing is most of us have played in hostile environments,” American captain Claudio Reyna said Saturday, “so that helps us out.”

Both nations are coming off surprising wins in their openers. The United States, with 20-year-olds Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley among six starters making World Cup debuts, shocked fifth-ranked Portugal 3-2 for its biggest victory since 1950. South Korea upset Poland 2-0 for its first World Cup win in 15 tries.

“The second game is the key if you want to go through,” U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller said before the opener. “Even if you get smoked by Portugal, the next game is the key.”

Rising anti-American sentiment is the backdrop, fueled by the disqualification of South Korea’s Kim Dong-sung in the 1,500-meter short-track speedskating final at the Salt Lake City Olympics, which resulted in a gold medal for American Apolo Anton Ohno.

On Saturday, about 150 activists gathered near the U.S. military base in Paju, 25 miles northeast of Seoul, and burned an American flag during a protest. They demanded compensation for a South Korean man who was electrocuted last July by power wires set up by the U.S. military. They also want the withdrawal of the 37,000 American military personnel stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea.

“My impression is that we’re allies with the South Koreans,” U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. “We’re not aware of any political issues. We consider the South Koreans our friends.”

As many as 5,000 police are to patrol Seoul on Monday, when tens of thousands of people are expected to gather in the city center to watch the game on jumbo TV screens.

Despite the hype in the South Korean press, U.S. players have ignored the off-the-field stuff. They appear extremely focused on the South Korean players.

“As players for America, we expect a political twist,” Reyna said. “All we’re doing is laughing about it. It’s a game. We’re just players representing U.S. soccer.”

Both teams have injuries, which could lead to lineup changes.

Reyna, a midfielder who plays a big part in the U.S. offense, missed the opener because of a strain in his right quadriceps.

“I think I’m there,” he said Saturday. “I’ve been practicing the last two days – no steps backwards. I feel confident that I could play.”

Arena said he’s hopeful Reyna can play, but has not been counting on midfielder Earnie Stewart, who strained his left groin against Portugal and was replaced by Cobi Jones at halftime. Stewart considers himself 50-50 for Monday.

“It still hurts, but it’s the World Cup. I’m a fast healer,” he said.

Reyna is likely to replace Pablo Mastroeni in midfield, Jones could take over for Stewart, Keller could play goal instead of Brad Friedel as part of a predetermined rotation, and Gregg Berhalter could replace Jeff Agoos at central defender.

Brian McBride and Donovan started at forward against Portugal, and it’s hard to tell if Arena would make changes, with Josh Wolff and Joe-Max Moore options. It appears Arena doesn’t think Clint Mathis is capable of playing 90 minutes.

South Korea is worried about forward Hwang Sun-hong and midfielder Yoo Sang-chul, who each scored a goal against Poland. Hwang hurt his right hip during the game and Yoo injured his right knee, but both resumed training this weekend. Against the Poles, South Korea ran relentlessly.

“They will test us in every part of the field,”‘ Arena said. “Additionally, they have developed their attacking play over the past four weeks or so, and they are very dangerous on the break and excellent on restarts.”

In another side issue, some South Koreans were taken aback that the match officials are staying in the same hotel the American team will be at Sunday night.

“It’s a little bit strange,” South Korea coach Guus Hiddink said.

Television networks are repeatedly broadcasting segments rallying fans behind the Red Devils, as the South Korean team in known, and the streets are filled with people in red T-shirts that say “Be the Reds.”

South Korea President Kim Dae-jung held a luncheon for supporters Saturday, and the prevailing opinion among Koreans is the home team will wear down the Americans in the afternoon heat and humidity. They point to how the U.S. team slowed down after taking a 3-0 lead in the first 36 minutes against Portugal.

“We definitely have to possess the ball for longer periods, make them run after the ball,” Reyna said. “Portugal is about great individual players. Korea is in a way similar to us – they play as a team.”

South Korea is looking to catch the United States upfield, to steal the ball “and try to get one on the dangerous American counterattacks,” Hiddink said. “That’s very important.”

In 1990, following an opening 5-1 loss to Czechoslovakia, the Americans went to Rome and frustrated Italy, which nearly squandered a lead and held on to win 1-0. Fans of the Azzurri whistled in anger at their own players.

That’s not likely to happen in South Korea, an extremely polite society, where the players and Hiddink have become national heroes following a near upset of France in a warmup and the victory over Poland.

Three points won’t be enough to advance, and the Americans aren’t thinking back to the opener.

“We want to show against Korea and then against Poland that we are a good team,” Arena said. “If we prepare ourselves the right way, I think we can do that and then earn the kind of respect we deserve.” Notes:@ Arena repeatedly has been asked by South Korean reporters why his team trains just once a day, and he keeps telling them that’s enough. “As you know, we don’t work that hard anyway in training,” he said, joking, at Saturday’s news conference.