World Cup 2014 Brazil » Group H » Live commentary: Russia - South Korea 1:1

Full-Time Russia and South Korea begin their World Cup adventure in Brazil with a 1:1 draw. After a very uneventful first half both teams found their offensive spirit in the second half. There were still very few good combinations but a lot of good long-distance shots. One of the more harmless one lead to the 1:0 for South Korea, the Russian keeper Igor Akinfeev let slip a shot by Keun-Ho Lee into the net. Fabio Capello reacted and brought on Aleksandr Kerzhakov who scored the equalizer. All in all it is a deserved draw between two teams who need to work hard on their offense if they want to survive the group stage. Thank you for your attendance, have a good night!

Ja-Cheol Koo (South Korea) is shown a yellow card
Pitana shows a yellow card and nobody execpt him knows why. Nontheless, free-kick Russia, 35 meters distance to the goal ...

The heat and the the high humidity show their effects. Some players are hit by cramps and both teams seems to be too exhausted for a game-winning offense effort.

Russia tries to turn the tide completly. Alan Dzagoev has a go from 24 meters but his shot only hits the advertising board behind the goal of Sung-Ryong Jung.

Goooal for Russia, 1:1 by Aleksandr Kerzhakov
Aleksandr Kerzhakov profits from a turmoil in the South Korean box and scores the equalizer! For the first time Russia can break through the South Korean defense. Sung-Ryong Jung can save a shot by Alan Dzagoev from the right site of the box. The rebound ricochets through the six-yard-box and Kerzhakov is the fastest to react.

Now it is Sung-Ryong Jung who has his problems with the ball. Dmitriy Kombarov fires a shot from way outside the box and the keeper can only punch away the ball.

Igor Akinfeev really has his problems with the long-distance shots by the South Koreans. This time the keeper has a hard time with a freekick by Young-Gwon Kim which is slightly deflected but still flies dead on the center of the goal. Nontheless, Akinfeev can't hold on to the ball. But again there is no attacker to punish this mistake.

Lively beginning to the second half! Akinfeev needs to save another long-distance shot. This time it is Sung-Yueng Ki who tries his luck from outside the box. And again Akinfeev can't catch the ball properly and can only pick it up with his second touch.

Oleg Shatov (Russia) is shown a yellow card First yellow card for a Russian player. Shatov hits Ja-Cheol Koo's right thigh and deserves the card just like Sung-Yueng Ki did in the first half.

Halftime Summary What a bummer in Cuiba! No goals between Russia and South Korea and so far none of team deserved one. Russia had more ball possesion but as soon as they closed in on the South Korean box their slow attacks were easily defended by the South Korean defense. Ignashevich's freekick was the only shot that found its way onto the goal of Jung. On the other site South Korea uses the Russian mistakes in their build-up far to little and when South Korea are close to the Russian box their shots a no danger for Igor Akinfeev. Things can only get better in the second half!

But beside from their shots South Korea are getting more dangerous. After a nice combination on the right site it is again Son who intrudes the Russian box. But center-back Vasiliy Berezutskiy does well clearing the ball before Son can get a clear shot.

The game is getting alive! Ja-Cheol Koo tries his luck with a shot from 25 meters. The shot is deflected which sends keeper Akinfeev into the wrong corner. But the ball misses the left post by inches.

Sung-Yueng Ki is shown a yellow card This time it is well deserved! Ki with a very dangerous sliding tackle against Aleksandr Samedov. He hits Samedov who needs quite some time to recover.

Still not much going on in Cuiba. Russia's attacks are way to slow to be any danger for South Korea and the Asian side seems to like their own half because they haven't left it for quite some time now.

South Korea are very deep in their own half waiting for the Russian attacks. But so far the players dressed in red had no idea how to crack the South Korean defense.

Heung-Min Son with the first shot of the game! The South Korean attacker receives the ball during a counter-attack 30 meters outside the Russian box. He picks up speed and finishes his run with a shot from just outside the box which misses the goal of Akinfeev.

Nervous start by Russia. Twice within a minute the Russian lose the ball during their build-up. But South Korea can't profit from this mistakes.

The Argentine referee Nestor Pitana has already lead both sides onto the pitch in Cuiabá where it is still steamingly hot. The anthems are being played, the match will start soon!

Quite different is the strategie of the South Korean coach Myung-Bo Hong. His starting eleven includes ten legionaries. Only keeper Sung-Ryong Jung plays in his home country, most of the other players went to Europe. The most known are probably Chu-Young Park, Suk-Young Yun  and Sung-Yueng Ki  who play in the Premier League.

On its way to Brazil the Russian side was nip and tuck with Portugal in their qualification group. In the end Russia won the group by a one point margin and forced Portugal into the playoffs. After the disappointing miss of the EURO 2012 Russia is back on track for their long-term goal. The World Cup 2018 in their own country!