February 17, 2008	Sunday	Safar 09, 1429

CHONGQING (China), Feb 16: South Korea have played down their 26-match winning streak against neighbouring China in over 30 years as their squads prepare to clash in the East Asian Cup here on Sunday.

Coach Huh Jung-Moo said his team were focusing on the upcoming game in the tournament, saying, “History is history.” He added: “Things can be changed any time so we should focus on the game and do our job. I don’t think about any historical factor.”

China’s Serbian coach Vladimir Petrovic said: “We feel very positive and are full of expectations. We hope tomorrow we can turn the page.”

With the European season in full swing, South Korea and China, like other regional big guns, could not call up expatriate stars for the four-nation event, which also includes North Korea and Japan. But they intend to test inexperienced young talent ahead of their next World Cup qualifiers in late March.

North Korea are the only full-strength side, boosted by three Japan-born ethnic Koreans who play in the Japanese and South Korean leagues.

Huh is without his three Premier League stars — frontmen Park Ji-Sung of Manchester United, Fulham’s Seol Ki-Hyeo and two-time World Cup veteran defender Lee Young-Pyo of Tottenham Hotspur.

His squad, now down to 22 after defender Hwang Jae-won was sent home due to his alleged involvement in a love scandal, features nine uncapped players.

China have six under-23 players preparing for the Beijing Olympics in August.

In their World Cup qualifying matches on February 6, China drew 1-1 with Asian champions Iraq while South Korea overturned Turkmenistan 4-0 at home.

Japan beat Thailand 4-1 at home and North Korea defeated Jordan 1-0 away.—AFP