Mexico take on South Korea in the early hours of Friday morning (UK Time) in Guadalajara, with kick-off set for 02:00 am.
Both teams got their Group A campaign with El Tri overcoming South Africa in the tournament opener, and South Korea seeing off the Czech Republic. With confirmed qualification to the knock-out stages on the line, this should be an intriguing encounter. Find our match preview and predictions below.
Best Bets & Predictions
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea Double Chance | 4/5 @ Sky Bet (55.6%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Although a draw would represent a solid result for both nations, Mexico appear a little short in the market given the challenge they face here. South Korea impressed in their opening 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic, combining defensive organisation with real pace and purpose in transition. Their ability to break quickly could cause Mexico plenty of problems, particularly if the hosts commit numbers forward in search of a win. With confidence high after a strong start, South Korea look capable of making this a far more competitive contest than the odds suggest. |
| Johan Vazquez to score anytime | 12/1 @ Paddy Power (7.7%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Mexico may not have the advantage of playing at the Azteca, but they still look well equipped to edge what could be a tight contest. South Korea produced an impressive display against the Czech Republic on matchday one, although they looked vulnerable from dead-ball situations and were fortunate not to concede more than once from set-pieces. That could be a concern against a Mexico side that carry significant aerial threat. Even with captain Cesar Montes suspended following his red card against South Africa, Johan Vazquez remains a major weapon from free-kicks and corners. The centre-back scored in both pre-tournament friendlies and looks overpriced at 13/1 to score anytime, while bigger prices are available for him to open the scoring. With both teams sitting on three points, a moment from a set-piece could prove decisive. |
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
How both teams go into Mexico vs South Korea
Mexico made the perfect start to their World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over South Africa. Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez were on target as Javier Aguirre’s side claimed all three points and moved top of Group A.
However, South Korea should provide a tougher challenge. Mexico are still in excellent form, having won seven and drawn two of their last nine matches. They have also kept three clean sheets in their previous four games. However, the suspension of Cesar Montes could weaken their defence.
Meanwhile, South Korea also made a winning start to their World Cup campaign, coming from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1. Hwang In-beom scored the equaliser before setting up Oh Hyeon-gyu for the winning goal, extending the Taegeuk Warriors’ winning streak to three matches.
As a result, Hong Myung-bo’s side arrive full of confidence after winning six of their last eight games. They will also take encouragement from their recent record against Mexico. Although South Korea have not beaten El Tri since 2006, the sides played out a 2-2 draw in their most recent meeting, with Santiago Gimenez scoring a stoppage-time equaliser.
Mexico team news
Mexico could name a largely unchanged side after their opening win over South Africa. Raul Rangel is expected to keep his place in goal ahead of Guillermo Ochoa, while Johan Vasquez and Edson Alvarez should form the centre-back pairing following Cesar Montes’ suspension. Erik Lira and Alvaro Fidalgo are likely to continue in midfield, with Julian Quinones and Roberto Alvarado providing support from the flanks. Raúl Jiménez is set to lead the attack once again, although Santiago Gimenez will push for a starting spot.
South Korea team news
Lee Han-beom is expected to keep his place in a back three alongside Kim Min-jae and Lee Gi-hyuk, while Seol Young-woo should continue at right wing-back. Hwang In-beom and Paik Seung-ho remain first-choice options in central midfield, with Lee Kang-in and Lee Jae-sung providing support in attack. Son Heung-min is set to lead the line once again, although goalscorer Oh Hyeon-gyu could push for a more prominent role after making a decisive impact from the bench last time out. Bae Jun-ho remains a doubt but could return among the substitutes.
Head-to-head
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 09/09/25 | Mexico 2-2 South Korea | International friendly |
| 14/11/20 | Mexico 3-2 South Korea | International friendly |
| 23/06/18 | South Korea 1-2 Mexico | World Cup |
| 29/01/14 | Mexico 4-0 South Korea | International friendly |
| 15/02/06 | Mexico 0-1 South Korea | International friendly |
| 27/01/02 | Mexico 0-0 South Korea | Gold Cup |
Who will take a step towards the last-32
Mexico put in a solid showing in the tournament opener at the Azteca. However, we were slightly more impressed by South Korea against the Czech Republic and we are backing them in the double chance market at 4/5 with bet365.
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