South Korea coach Huh Jung-Moo has gambled on the fitness of 31-year-old Lee Dong-Guk by naming the striker dubbed the “Lion King” in his 23-man squad for South Africa.

The previously luckless Lee missed out on selection for the 2006 World Cup due to a knee injury and has been struggling with a thigh injury.

 

But the form of other strikers has been disappointing and Huh admitted: “I don’t have a lot of options.

Defender Kwak Tae-Hwi suffered a knee injury in South Korea’s 1-0 weekend loss to Belarus. Kang Min-Soo has been drafted into the 23 as a replacement for the World Cup.