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Sweden and South Korea have only faced each other thrice on the international stage. Back in 1996, Sweden secured a 2-0 victory while in 2005 both matches ended in a draw. There has never been a goalless match between them and fans will be expecting goals in this upcoming fixture.
LIVE | Sweden vs South Korea | Live Commentary Score
Within the group, there is also Germany and Mexico. It is one of the toughest groups at the WC 2018. The bulk of the action is expected to be in Korea's half as Sweden looks likely to be the team that could dominate the possession.
However, Shin Tae-yong's men could threaten on the counter - especially with the two pacey forwards who are expected to lead the line. Here is a look at the five players who could make a difference in the game.
#5 Victor Lindelof
The Manchester United player is a rising star in the Swedish national team. Although the 23-year-old lacks pace, he is strong in the air and poses a threat in his opponent's box during set-pieces. Since making his debut in 2016, the centre-back has gone on to appear 21 times for his nation and scored a goal during the World Cup qualifiers.
Lindelof was called up to the 23-man squad and played the full 90 minutes in the last two international friendlies. It looks like the defender could start at the heart of the backline against South Korea.
Although he had a nervy start to his Manchester United career under Jose Mourinho, Lindelof was still selected to travel to Russia. It would be his first time playing in the World Cup but Lindelof is expected to be called into action right away.
In his first match, he would be facing Premier League star Son Heung-min from South Korea. His Premier League experience would surely help in dealing with the tricky and fast attacker, who is known for having a knack for scoring.
#4 Hwang Hee-chan
The 22-year-old is one of the youngest players from both sides. Despite that, he is not an unknown quantity in Europe and has been playing for Red Bull Salzburg for the last three seasons. In total, he has spent four years in the Austrian Bundesliga, making close to 120 appearances in Germany.
The forward has since scored 42 goals and came up with 15 assists for his team. Hee-chan is certainly not in the spotlight as most of the attention is focused on his compatriot, Heung-min, from Tottenham Hotspur.
The youngster has had limited experience playing for his nation. He scored just one goal in seven games during Korea's World Cup qualification journey. However, the forward remains a player who could change the game and help his nation get a positive result in the fixture.
When he plays together with Son, the duo is capable of creating havoc in the defence. They utilise their pace well and are able to find space for themselves in the box, losing their markers.
Hwang has excelled at the youth level for his nation. This time around, he could be the time for him to shine at the senior level.
#3 Ki Sung-yueng
Just before the World Cup started, Ki decided to leave Swansea City who were relegated at the end of the season. Currently, the defensive midfielder is a game away from making 100 international appearances for his nation.
It would be the third time that the captain of the team is participating in the World Cup. Ki has played in a variety of positions he is predominantly deployed as a central midfielder.
The 29-year-old is an expert in taking set-pieces as well as long shots. His positioning in the midfield will be crucial in helping his side transition from defence to attack within a single pass.
As a key figure for his side, his experience and leadership could make a difference in the fixture. Both teams will be eager to get all three points in the tough group so as to have a head start in advancing to the Round of 16.
Ki could learn from Australia's tight midfield play which managed to keep France quiet for a pretty long time. His role in the match would be similar to that of Aaron Mooy, where he is supposed to block the runs of Sweden's attacking players and get the second ball.
Between the two sides, it is anybody's game. If Ki and his teammates can rule the midfield, South Korea stands a chance to win the game.
#2 Emil Forsberg
Forsberg is easily the best Swedish player from his side. There are high hopes that he excels in Russia and the Scandinavian fans are hoping for him to put in stunning performances. The left-winger has made 36 international appearances for his nation, scoring six goals and grabbing four assists.
However, he has been pretty quiet since the turn of the year. Hopefully, he would be able to help his team battle it out against the Asians in the opening match.
Ever since Zlatan Imbravohic retired, Sweden has been in need of a player who can step up and fill in the big boots. Forsberg was identified as the new talisman and his team is pinning all their hopes on him.
The 26-year-old is particularly strong when it comes to dribbling and taking set-pieces. Sweden is expected to dominate possession in their first match and it could be vital for the midfielders to always get the second ball.
At the same time, the first few opening games of the World Cup have highlighted the importance of taking set-pieces well. Forsberg ought to take the responsibility and make good use of every chance that he is presented with during the match.
The RB Leipzig player has a pass accuracy of 80% in the Bundesliga and created a total of 39 chances in 21 games for his side. South Korea's defence has been shaky at times and they have a tendency of leaking in goals.
#1 Son Heung-min
The attention is all on this man. He is one of the most experienced players on the team, with 64 caps to his name. In eight years that he has played, Son has scored 21 goals.
In the last three matches, he scored once and assisted once. The South Korean built a reputation for himself in the Premier League and almost everyone knows his ability to finish in the final third of the pitch.
The Asians are not expected to have much time on the ball and they would have to play a counter-attacking game. They could adopt the same strategy as Iceland who managed to get away with a draw against Argentina.
The pressure is on him to score as he is seen as the pride of South Korea and Asia. They have only won three out of their last nine matches and kept clean sheets during those victories.
This is not Son's first World Cup appearance. In the 2014 edition held in Brazil, his nation was knocked out after the group stage and he scored just one goal in their three matches.
There would not be time for him to try for goal repeatedly. Son must take his chances and lead his side on the counter-attack. That seems like the only way for the Asians to get victory over Sweden.
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