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This Saturday, Korea and Japan will go head-to-head in yet another match-up at the Classic after the final game of second-round play for Pool 1 saw Mexico beat the U.S. team 2-1 and out of the competition. With that result, the U.S., Mexico and Japan all recorded one win and two losses, but Japan gave up the fewest hits on average per inning, thereby securing a ticket to the semifinals through a points tiebreaker.

Baseball fans across Korea are praying for the country to take the championship, and Netizens are trying to put together a group to cheer the Korean team from afar to repeat the glory of the 2002 football World Cup. "Grab a hamburger in one hand and a Korean flag in the other and let's meet up in Gwangwhamun," reads a typical online post. The excitement has spontaneously given birth to the "Blue Goblins," a counter to Korean football's Red Devils pep squad.

A Korean-American from L.A. who handles translation for foreign athletes and marketing of the domestic baseball team LG Twins fashioned the idea for the Blue Goblins and caught the attention of baseball fans when they came to the U.S.-Mexico game in matching blue t-shirts. As of Thursday, the group only had 844 members, but as the Korean team continues to rake in the victories, that number is sure to rise.

The Korea Baseball Organization allowed a collective support event for the WBO semifinals match against Japan in the Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Sunday. It was the result of the Blue Goblins’ persuasive efforts. The capacity of the stadium is up to 30,000, so any Korean who loves baseball can take part. One Blue Goblin said the group will give away blue shirts to the 500 first comers.

(englishnews@chosun.com )