South Korea vs. Italy

*--* Tuesday, 4:30 a.m. PDT, at Miyagi, Japan TV: ESPN, Ch. 34. Delayed: ESPN2, 11 a.m.; Ch. 46, 2:30 p.m.; ESPN Classic, Wednesday, noon How they got here: South Korea finished 2-0-1 to win Group D. Italy advanced as the runner-up in Group G South Korea update: After maintaining the World Cup standard of every host nation having gone on to the second round, the South Koreans now want more. “All the players and the coach are not satisfied just by reaching the last 16,” defender Kim Nam-Il said. “Our players have enormous potential.” Italy update: Italy’s defense, by reputation the strongest in the world, has struggled with injuries and occasional shaky play. But the Italians can point to four goals called back during group play, several of them on debatable calls, as the difference between appearing as one of the tournament’s best teams and one that just managed to gain the second round. Striker Christian Vieri said South Korea is perhaps the toughest team Italy could play in the second round. “They’re very fast, they run all the match and make a lot of chances for goals,” he said. “We have to go into the game relaxed.” Sidelined: Italy’s Fabio Cannavaro (two yellow cards) Outlook: This is one of the most intriguing of the second-round matches, posing the question of whether an enthusiastic home crowd can give the overachieving South Koreans an edge over a traditional power like Italy. But this is familiar territory for the Italians, who often start slowly and finish in the finals

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