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The Norwegian team failed to be accepted for this year edition of the planet Cup, but that doesn’t suggest Norway has not got a great soccer team. 

Norway can point to a respectable record recently.  The Scandinavians qualified for the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA but fell in the 1st round by the slimmest of margins.  All four groups in their group finished on the same number of points and goal difference ; but Norway had scored fewer goals and packed their bags for home. 

four years on they had a great part in France 1998 defeating the potent Brazil in what’s considered the best game they’ve ever play in the final stage of this competitions.  That victory enabled them to go to the round of sixteen, but lost against an excellent Italy squad. 

Norway missed the Korea/Japan World Cup and this year will not be present either in Germany.  But they have lots of young players that given the continuity needed the can put together a good team for the future. 

South Korea is obviously the most successful Asian team.  They have been to more FIFA World Cup finals than any other Far East team.  This could be their 7th appearance and sixth consecutive. 

Pacific Rim’s most frequent visitors to FIFA World Cup finals and first appeared at the worldwide showpiece in 1954.  Prior to 2002 they had not managed a single win in fourteen finals matches.  That all changed under Dutch coach Guus Hiddink who led them to the last 4 victories over four western european teams, were they manage to get to the semifinals leaving in the way Italy and Spain a first for any Asian team in a World Cup. 

Park Ji-Sung, now at Manchester United, gives a real attacking threat from midfield while left-back Lee Young-Pyo is a key figure in a defense.  That operates in front of experienced goalkeeper Lee Woon-Jae.  There are lots of options up front while, Ahn Jung-Hwan whose golden goal defeated Italy, Cha Du-Ri and Lee Dong-Gook the top scorer at the 2k AFC Asian Cup. 

With a formidable and experienced squad Korea will have the opportunity to repeat their performance from last year edition.  to do that they have to prepare superb and one step of that preparation will be the friendly matches.  Such as the one they’ll have in Oslo against Norway that may help them to correct those last minute details before the big contest. 

Sports betting for these games, is available in most books, so don’t miss your chance to bet on an enjoyable game such as this one and start preparing your picks for the world cup.

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Outright odds : 250/1
Group G Winners : 10/1

South Korea shocked the soccer world four years back when they beat Italy and Spain to get to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup.  It was a noteworthy accomplishment.  In the group stage, an opening match win over Poland and a shock 1-0 triumph over Portugal ensured they became the first Asian team to qualify from the group stage since Saudi Arabia in 1994. 

In the second round they defeated Italy in extra time, a result which saw winning goal scorer Ahn Jung-Hwan sacked by his employers at Serie A club Perugia.  They edged past Spain on penalties in the quarter-final before a narrow 1-0 defeat against Germany in the semis brought their fairytale run to a close. 

expectancies have risen considerably since then and Guus Hiddink is a hard act to follow.  During qualification Korea went through two coaches before fellow Dutchman Dick Advocaat usurped in preparation for the finals in Germany. 

South Korea were far from convincing during qualification and Hiddkink’s successor, HUmberto Coelho, lasted only 2 qualifying matches.  He resigned after an embarrassing goalless draw against the Maldives whose recent pedigree includes a 12-0 defeat to Syria and 17-0 hammering against Iran. 

Jo Bonfrere usurped and despite steering the team to their 5th successive World Cup finals, quit in Aug 2005 following lacklustre performances.  Korea finished as runners up in their qualifying group but endured home and away defeats to Saudi Arabia and an away draw to lowly Uzbekistan. 

While Hiddink enjoyed nearly half a season with the team 4 years back in preparation for the 2002 finals, Advocaat, in comparison, has hardly had an opportunity to begin to know his squad. 

South Korea will no longer be seen as an unproven quantity and a number of players are excelling at club level in Europe.  Hiddink took a number of quality players with him to PSV Eindoven following the last contest while Park Ji-Sung secured a move to Manchester United. 

it may also be argued that Korea have struggled defensively since some of their veteran defenders retired since the last World Cup.  Significantly previous captain and defensive lynchpin Myung Bo Hong who participated in the 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002 finals, eventually retiring with 135 caps. 

recommended Bet
Following an exceptional run 4 years ago, South Korea could revert to their old ways of not making it past the group stage.  Expectancy is at abest-ever record} high but they could suffer from a shock against Togo in their opening match who might be good enough for a draw. 

Togo vs South Korea draw 9/4.

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Snuggled between the states of china and japan is the lesser-known country of South Korea.  Though sometimes overlooked as a destination spot in the region, this area of Southeast Far East is a fabulous place to go to. 

founded in 1948 when it separated from its sister country, North Korea, the Republic of Korea changed into a democratic state at the end of World War II.  In 1950, the North invaded the South, causing the Korean War until the 2 sides signed an armistice in 1953.  Both the North and the South have similar, entrenched traditions, but South Korea has turned into a modern, worldwide economic leader that Western culture has heavily influenced over the last half-century. 

South Korea is home to roughly 48 million folk of whom about 12,000,000 live in and round the capital and largest city of Seoul.  The land area is 38,463 square miles, a touch bigger than the state of Indiana.  The climate of the area is extraordinarily mild all year and residents enjoy all four seasons.  The landscape of Korea is typically mountainous and covered with lush forests in the rural areas, but you can also find rice fields, the country?s staple crop, in many of the valleys. 

Top Attractions

Many attractions in the country are bound to lure a variety of travelers.  One of the most renowned is Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul.  While the situation of the palace is over 600 years of age, the particular buildings had been reconstructed a number of times due to invasions and antagonistic takeovers.  The present buildings house both the national Museum of Korea and the national folk Museum.  Once home to kings and rulers, the palace is rich with history, cultural artifacts and design, and enjoys a significant number of visitors annually. 

Those fascinated by the history and culture of the country should also check out the Korean folks hamlet located near Seoul.  See what life was like for Koreans during the Chosun period ( from the 1700s up until 1910 ) in this 243-acre town.  Observe and have interaction with residents as you bump into them in traditional Korean dress, but don’t be confused.  These folks aren’t employed actors.  Many of the residents of the hamlet actually live there!  Enjoy music, shows, and authentic foods from a long lost but not forgotten chapter in Korean history. 

the most well liked attraction in South Korea is the Demilitarized section, or DMZ, in Panmunjom.  Set at the 38th parallel, this area is where the democratic South borders the red North.  Here you may witness propaganda from each side of the border.  See what the North wants visitors to see as a stable, booming economy, complete with elaborate buildings and roads, but in actuality is a sluggish, repressed society, as shown by the South.  Many South Koreans have buddies and relatives still living in the North that they had no contact with for over 50 years.  Travel and communication between sides is prohibited and the hope is that, one day, an end point to dictatorial rule will open up the border once more.

On South Koreas west coast, in the city of Incheon, you can visit the Incheon Landing Operation commemorative Hall.  This site is a commemorative to General Douglas MacArthurs combat operation that led on to the liberation of Seoul in the Korean War.  There also are a spread of amusements and maritime attractions in the vicinity for visitors to enjoy. 

Some holidays that visitors should think about in their itinerary include the Chunhyang festival, the Nankye conventional Music holiday, and the celebration of Buddhas birthday.  The Chunhyang holiday occurs annually in Namwon.  Chunyang is the Korean equivalent of the tale of Romeo and Juliet.  Many visitors come to this festival at the start of May to experience Korean dance, music, and parades.  The Miss Chunyang festival is held on the last day of the festival.  The Nankye Traditional Music holiday is a party of Nankye, a Korean composer who is claimed to have created Chosun Dynasty Korean Music.  This type of music is a beautiful ensemble of strings, winds and percussion that produce a sound wholly original to Korean culture.  This event is held yearly in Yongdong in Sep.  The party of Buddhas birthday is held in May all over the country.  Many Buddhist churches hold festivals and parades on this holiday that is celebrated by many Koreans, without regard for faith. 

Culinary pleasures

While traveling in South Korea, visitors can enjoy a selection of culinary pleasures.  Most dishes are spicier than most Western palates are used to, however.  The favorite of most travelers is pulgogi.  This is a conventional Korean dish that consists of drenched slices of beef with rice and vegetables that’s then wrapped up in a leaf of lettuce.  With rice, another basic food of Korean culture is kimchi.  This side plate is usually served with every meal.  Kimchi is a mix of fermented plants, generally cabbage, and is especially hot and spicy.  Since it is eaten continually, there are lots of variations of kimchi to choose from.  For those less adventuresome, many Western restaurants have made their way to Seoul and surrounding cities, so those who want to experience the culture but cannot handle spicy foods, there’s usually a McDonalds or a KFC around the corner.

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