Less than a week has passed since the FIFA World Cup 2014 curtain-raiser between Brasil and Croatia, and the continental competition is already in full swing. The second round of matches is set to commence later on today, with Brasil facing off against Mexico, yet it won’t be until later that the first round is concluded. In Group H, Russia face off against South Korea tonight at 6:00PM ET – with viewers benefiting of ESPN, which will broadcast the match, and a free, online live stream.

Both teams will have the advantage of knowing the outcome of the other match in Group H, between Belgium and Algeria, when they face off in the Arena Pantanal, at Cuiaba. Russia traveled to Brasil without veteran midfielder and captain Roman Shirokov. Alongside the likes of Franck Ribery and Radamel Falco, injury is to blame for 32-year-old Shirokov’s absence on the World Cup scene. A talented player and an indispensable driving force, Shirokov’s injury will probably be a determining factor in whether the Russian national team makes it out of Group H.

Russia know that they’re up against it when they face a youthful South Korea, bronze medal winners in London’s Summer Olympics two years ago, although the fair draw should be a positive point for them. Going into their first match, the South Korean player know that they will have to do better than in their last two World Cup adventures. The Asian team has won just two of their last ten World Cup matches – victors against Togo and Greece in the 2006 and 2010 editions respectively. Their recent form in friendlies is also a source of endless worries for the South Korean squad, having won just four of their last five outings and recently getting humiliated in a 4-0 defeat to Ghana.

Fabio Capello goes into the match at Russia’s helm knowing that his team is under pressure to perform in a fairly easy group, where Belgium and Russia are expected to grace the round of 16. On the other hand, South Korea will be basing their hopes on Hong Jeong-Ho, who was only recently included in Russia’s squad, and the experienced Yuri Zhirkov and Park Chu-Young.

The two teams know that in order to stand a chance for qualification, a draw will not suffice. Capello will be hoping he can spur his team to replicate last November’s result against South Korea, when Russia came from behind to record a 2-1 victory in Dubai. Carrying the underdog status, South Korea will be hoping to upset the apple cart just like they did 12 years ago, when they co-hosted the renowned cup alongside Japan.

Russia vs South Korea Stream, Goals & Highlights

Fans from all over the world can visit TechNews.org a few minutes before the match for a free live stream link. After the final whistle sounds, fans can also visit this website to watch the goals and highlights from this match. Remember that you can bookmark our homepage to stay updated. In the meantime, you can take a look at the rest of our World Cup articles and videos.