Mexico vs South Korea - prediction, team news, lineups

As circular 2 of World Cup 2026 gets underway, co-hosts Mexico volition look South Korea astatine Estadio Akron connected Friday for what could beryllium the decisive clash successful Group A.

Both El Tri and the Taeguk Warriors were victorious successful their opening fixtures, but they are acceptable for pugnacious tests this week.

Match preview

Javier Aguirre's Mexico arrived astatine this summer's tourney successful beardown form, and the manager volition beryllium delighted that his squad were capable to transportation that momentum into their archetypal fixture.

El Tri kicked disconnected the World Cup by beating 2010 hosts South Africa 2-0 connected Thursday, acknowledgment to an aboriginal effort from Julian Quinones and a second-half sealer from Raul Jimenez.

That triumph - which was Mexico's archetypal ever connected matchday 1 of a World Cup - has enactment them astatine the apical of the heap successful Group A, and they volition beryllium hopeless to enactment determination connected Friday.

South Korea correspond stern opposition, but aft an awesome tally of 7 wins and 2 draws from their past 9 games, Aguirre's broadside volition beryllium assured of success.

Adding to that optimism is the information that Mexico person kept 3 cleanable sheets from their 4 astir caller outings, though it remains to beryllium seen however overmuch of an interaction centre-back Cesar Montes's suspension volition person connected the defence.

Meanwhile, Hong Myung-Bo's South Korea besides made a imagination commencement to World Cup 2026, collecting each 3 points successful their 2-1 triumph against the Czech Republic last week.

The Taeguk Warriors recovered themselves a extremity down astir the hr people when Ladislav Krejci headed location a agelong propulsion from erstwhile West Ham star Vladimir Coufal, but Feyenoord's Hwang In-Beom netted an equaliser 8 minutes aboriginal earlier assisting Oh Hyeon-Gyu's winner.

That turnaround volition give Hong's men anticipation that they tin flooded immoderate setbacks they whitethorn look connected Friday, erstwhile they are up against the co-hosts connected location soil.

Coming from down successful their opener besides extended South Korea's winning streak to 3 matches, and considering that they person won six of their past 8 games overall, supporters volition beryllium expecting their squad to beryllium competitory this week.

The Taeguk Warriors person not beaten Mexico since a 1-0 triumph successful February 2006 - losing 3 times and drafting erstwhile successful the aftermath - but their astir caller gathering ended 2-2 backmost successful September 2025, and required a 94th-minute equaliser from Santiago Gimenez to level the people for El Tri.

Mexico World Cup form:

Mexico signifier (all competitions):

South Korea World Cup form:

South Korea signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Mexico volition beryllium without Lokmotiv Moskow centre-back Cesar Montes connected Friday, aft helium was sent disconnected against South Africa, truthful the versatile Edson Alvarez could beryllium stationed successful the co-hosts' antiaircraft line.

Elsewhere, left-winger Julian Quinones scored the opener past clip out, but helium 'asked to beryllium substituted' and was 'limping' precocious connected successful the crippled according to manager Aguirre.

The Al-Qadisah prima whitethorn commencement this week but helium is simply a doubt, and Alexis Vega volition beryllium connected standby to diagnostic retired wide for El Tri.

As for South Korea, they whitethorn beryllium missing attacking midfielder Bae Jun-Ho of Stoke City, arsenic helium builds fittingness aft recovering from an ankle issue.

Likewise, centre-back Kim Tae-Hyeon has returned to squad grooming aft suffering an ankle injury, but helium is improbable to marque the XI connected Friday, truthful Lee Gi-Hyuk looks acceptable to proceed connected the near of a antiaircraft trio alongside Kim Min-Jae and Lee Han-Beom

Mexico imaginable starting lineup:

Rangel; Reyes, Alvarez, Vasquez, Gallardo; Lira; Alvarado, Gutierrez, Fidalgo, Quinones; Jimenez

South Korea imaginable starting lineup:

S Kim; H Lee, M Kim, G Lee; Seol, Hwang, Paik, T Lee; K Lee, J Lee; Son

We say: Mexico 2-2 South Korea

After winning their opener against South Africa, Mexico volition beryllium hoping to present different beardown show connected location soil, but they look overmuch tougher absorption this clip around.

South Korea showed resilience to travel from down against the Czech Republic, and aft coming adjacent to beating El Tri backmost successful September, they are apt to beryllium portion of an aggravated contention erstwhile again connected Friday.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.