Honduras ready to give 100% in football friendly vs. S. Korea: coach

Honduran football coach Carlos Ramon Tabora said Sunday his side will give 100 percent in the upcoming friendly match against South Korea.

South Korea and Honduras will go head-to-head at Daegu Stadium in Daegu on Monday. It will be the third meeting between the two sides, with South Korea winning the last two encounters.

"We feel fortunate to play against South Korea," Tabora said during a pre-match press conference in Daegu. "We'll give our 100 percent effort like we have been doing."

Tabora, who was also in South Korea last year with the under-20 team for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, said he is aware of South Korean players like Tottenham Hotspur attacker Son Heung-min and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors midfielder Lee Jae-sung, who was the MVP of the domestic K League 1 last season.

"South Korea are a quick team," he said. "South Korea generally started with a 4-4-2 formation, but they did use different tactics depending on their opponents."

Honduras, ranked 59th in the latest FIFA rankings, two spots higher than South Korea, failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after they lost to Australia in the intercontinental playoffs. They finished fourth in the North, Central American and Caribbean World Cup qualifying campaign, in which Mexico were the champions.

South Korea are in the same group with Mexico at the 2018 World Cup, along with Sweden and Germany. When asked about his advice on the match against Mexico, Tabora said South Korea have to be aware of Mexico's key players like West Ham United striker Javier Hernandez and Sevilla defender Miguel Layun.

"Mexico have some good, versatile players," he said. "South Korea need to face Mexico with their teamwork." (Yonhap)