South Korea play Ghana at the World Cup in Al Rayyan on Monday.
When: Monday, Nov. 28, 1600 local (1300 GMT/0800 ET)
Where: Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan
Capacity: 44,667
Odds:
South Korea win: 8/5
Ghana win: 2/1
Draw: 19/10
Key stats:
*South Korea are the only Asian country to have reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, when they were co-hosts in 2002, while Ghana share the distinction of being one of three African countries to have gone furthest at the World Cup when they got to the quarter-finals in 2010.
*South Korea have been to more World Cups than any other Asian country with their trip to Qatar their 11th appearance, since the first in 1954. The last 10 have all been consecutive, since 1986.
*South Korea have met African opposition at the World Cup on three occasions – beating Togo in 2006, drawing with Nigeria in 2010 and losing to Algeria in 2014. Ghana’s only Asian opponent at a World Cup finals tournament was Australia in 2010, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
*Ghana made their first World Cup appearance in 2006 and are now competing at the finals for a fourth time. The Black Stars had won four Africa Cup of Nations titles before they qualified for their first World Cup.
Previous meetings: Ghana have a 4-3 edge over South Korea in the win count of their past seven head-to-head clashes, all in friendly internationals. The two countries first met in 1982 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and last clashed in a friendly in the U.S. ahead of the 2014 Brazil World Cup, which Ghana won 4-0 with a hattrick from Jordan Ayew.
