South Korea vs Czech Republic - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

Kicking disconnected their Group A run astatine World Cup 2026, some South Korea and the Czech Republic volition look to get aboriginal points connected the committee erstwhile they conscionable successful Guadalajara connected Thursday.

In a radical besides featuring South Africa and tourney co-hosts Mexico, lone a top-two decorativeness volition guarantee advancement to the knockout phase.

Match preview

South Korea are each acceptable for a 12th World Cup, which is the astir of immoderate Asian nation, and this year's finals volition beryllium their 11th consecutive appearance. 

However, stretching backmost to their debut successful 1986, the Taegeuk Warriors person lone produced 7 wins from 38 games truthful acold - astir coming arsenic co-hosts successful 2002.

His country's skipper astatine that memorable tournament, Hong Myung-bo volition present pb South Korea into a World Cup for the 2nd time, having presided implicit a dismal group-stage exit astatine Brazil 2014. 

Hong's broadside were the lone unbeaten squad passim AFC qualifying, winning 11 and drafting 5 matches portion racking up 40 goals successful the process.

The lone hostile they failed to bushed was Palestine - who held retired for 2 plucky draws - leaving them six points up of runners-up Jordan successful the 2nd radical stage.

Ranked 25th by FIFA, they precocious ended preparations with success implicit El Salvador, arsenic Lee Dong-gyeong's pinpoint free-kick sealed triumph successful Utah. 

Having already thumped Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 a fewer days earlier, South Korea are present nicely warmed up for a archetypal World Cup brushwood with the Czech Republic - 3 erstwhile friendlies resulted successful 1 triumph apiece.

Taking a much circuitous way than their opening opponents, the Czech Republic stole into this World Cup via the UEFA playoffs.

Last year, they were pipped to apical spot successful Group L by Croatia, aft a humbling 2-1 nonaccomplishment to Faroe Islands had outgo Ivan Hasek his job. Interim manager Jaroslav Kostl past handed the reins to 74-year-old Miroslav Koubek, a vastly experienced veteran.

Having mislaid their semi-final against Sweden connected the roadworthy to Qatar 2022, it was feared that the Czechs would miss retired erstwhile again; yet they rode their luck successful beating some the Republic of Ireland and Denmark connected penalties pursuing a brace of melodramatic 2-2 draws. 

Runners-up successful 1934 and 1962 erstwhile playing arsenic a unified Czechoslovakia, they person struggled to marque overmuch content since, and this is their archetypal World Cup quality for 20 years. 

At Germany 2006, they were eliminated successful the radical stage, but hopes of a tally to the knockout rounds this clip person been raised by a caller series of six consecutive wins.

Since getting unneurotic for their pre-tournament camp, Koubek's broadside person beaten Kosovo 2-1 and Guatemala 3-1, crucially maintaining momentum.

Unafraid to instrumentality the nonstop route, the Czechs' towering squad volition airs a superior menace from acceptable pieces; fractional of their qualifying goals came via dead-ball situations, including 7 from corners.

Fittingly, they volition commencement Group A with the archetypal of 2 matches successful Mexico, astatine astir 2,000 metres supra oversea level.

South Korea signifier (all competitions):

W W L L W W

Czech Republic signifier (all competitions):

W W W W W W

Team News

Just 2 goals distant from equalling South Korea's all-time scoring record, held by Cha Bum-kun for the past 40 years, skipper Son Heung-min should commencement up beforehand connected Thursday. 

The LAFC striker has been straight progressive successful 4 of the Taegeuk Warriors' past 10 World Cup goals and recorded 14 extremity involvements successful AFC qualifying.

Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Jae-sung and Paris Saint-Germain guardant Lee Kang-in are starring the queue to unit Son's proviso line.

Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae volition helm a backmost three, but chap defender Cho Yu-min has been ruled retired aft sustaining a ft injury; uncapped Jo Wi-je was called up arsenic the latter's replacement.

While Son is South Korea's prima man, Patrik Schick has antecedently scored six goals successful 7 large tourney appearances for the Czech Republic - the Bayer Leverkusen striker besides netted 5 times successful qualifying.

Pavel Sulc volition beryllium the Czechs' cardinal creator, playing conscionable up of experienced midfielder Tomas Soucek, who was stripped of the captaincy earlier this year.

Starting successful a backmost three, Ladislav Krejci volition truthful skipper the side, with playoff punishment leader Matej Kovar expected to diagnostic betwixt the posts.

South Korea imaginable starting lineup:

Kim Seung-gyu; Lee Gi-hyuk, Kim Min-jae, Lee Han-beom; Seol Young-woo, Hwang In-beom, Paik Seung-ho, Lee Tae-seok; Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Jae-sung; Son Heung-min

Czech Republic imaginable starting lineup:

Kovar; Chaloupek, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Cerv, Soucek, Jurasek; Provod, Sulc; Schick

We say: South Korea 1-1 Czech Republic

Though the Czechs are connected a roll, it could beryllium a cagey matter betwixt 2 precise antithetic teams, arsenic avoiding decision connected the opening time volition beryllium their priority.

Both diagnostic mode down the database of imaginable winners successful Sports Mole's World Cup betting guide, truthful claiming 1 constituent would borderline them towards a respectable spot successful the past 32. 

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