WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : TODAY’S GAMES AT A GLANCE
GROUP C at Foxboro, Mass.
South Korea vs. Bolivia
* TIME: 4:30 p.m. PDT
* TV: ESPN2, Univision, International Channel; ESPN (9:30 p.m.)
* KEY MATCHUPS: Erwin Sanchez, Bolivia’s only player who competes in a European professional league, is a forward who could have an exciting afternoon against South Korean defenders Kim Pan-keun and Park Jung-bae.
Sanchez is joined on a potentially explosive front line by William Ramallo, nicknamed “the Phantom” after he had scored seven of his country’s 22 goals in qualifying. In Bolivia’s 1-0 loss to Germany, however, Ramallo could have been called the Phantom because he kept disappearing.
The man with the best nickname among the Bolivians, forward Marco (the Devil) Etcheverry, will not be playing. He was given a red card for rough play against Germany.
South Korean fans, celebrating a 2-2 tie with Spain, still are marveling over the last-minute goal scored by substitute Seo Jung-won. The other goal was scored by midfielder Hong Myung-bo, but the South Koreans could struggle against star Bolivian defender Gustavo Quinteros.
* OUTLOOK: The South Koreans hope to continue their surprisingly good play and the Bolivians hope to avoid elimination. The key is not attitude but altitude .
With their home field located in the highest capital city in the world, La Paz, the Bolivians dominated qualifying. If you think the Denver Broncos have an advantage in their mile-high city, try playing the Bolivians at 12,001 feet.
They won all five qualifying games there, one against World Cup favorite Brazil.
But, alas, they returned to the lowlands for their final three qualifying games and went 0-2-1. Then they couldn’t score in Chicago in the Cup opener against Germany.
Foxboro Stadium being at 280 feet above sea level, the Bolivians are once again in danger of coming out flat.
* OUTCOME: With two goals in the final five minutes against Spain, South Korea gained the confidence to advance past the first round for the first time in four World Cup appearances. The Bolivians have lost their Devil, can’t count on their Phantom, and have been outscored in their three World Cup appearances, 17-0. South Koreans by one.
