
SEOUL/TOKYO -- Football fans in South Korea and Japan eagerly anticipated one of the biggest nights in Asian soccer for two decades on Monday as both national teams prepared for World Cup matches that could usher them into the tournament's quarterfinals -- or send them home from Qatar.
Japan plays Croatia, beaten finalists four years ago, in a match starting at midnight in Japan. A few hours later South Korea, led by English premier league star Son Heung-min, faces off against tournament favorite Brazil.