Tunisian coach hopes to give good test

On the eve of his team’s showdown against South Korea, Tunisian head coach Georges Leekens said Tuesday he hopes to give the home side a good test ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

The 49th-ranked Tunisia will take on the 55th-ranked South Korea at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday. The kickoff is at 8 p.m.

It will be South Korea’s last match at home prior to the June 12-July 13 World Cup in Brazil. Tunisia didn’t qualify for the tournament.

At a prematch press conference at the venue of the match, Leekens said it was an “honor” for Tunisia to play in South Korea’s send-off contest.

“We wish you all the luck at the World Cup,” he said. “We’ll try to be a good opponent, and we’ll do everything to make a good game of it.”

The 65-year-old Belgian has experience coaching two of South Korea’s group stage opponents at this year’s World Cup: Belgium from 1997 to 1999, and again from 2010 to 2012, and Algeria in 2003. Russia is the other opponent for South Korea.

“You have a difficult group,” Leekens assessed. “Facing Belgium, Russia and Algeria is not an easy task. But I know that you are a very mobile team, and some players can make a difference. I think you’re ready.”

Leekens said he feels South Korea must have picked Tunisia as an opponent to prepare for Algeria, since both are African teams, but added that the two nations don’t play the same brand of football.

“You can’t compare Tunisia to Algeria ― we’re two different countries, and we play two different styles of football,” Leekens said.

“We like to play to score at least two goals and not to give up too much. That’s our spirit.”

Leekens, who took over Tunisia in March, said he is still trying to figure out his team. (Yonhap)