South Korea carry real promise into this World Cup opener against Czechia. Three wins from their last five matches stand out, with that 5-0 romp against Trinidad and Tobago in May followed by the narrow 1-0 success over El Salvador just days ago. The heavy defeats to Ivory Coast and Austria earlier in the year look like outliers now.
Czechia show up after a twenty-year absence from the tournament. No key injuries or suspensions hit their squad, and Patrik Schick lines up fit after banging in 16 Bundesliga goals during the 2025/26 campaign. South Korea will be without Cho Yu-min due to his foot issue, and Bae Jun-ho remains doubtful with an ankle problem picked up in late May.
Son Heung-min remains the focal point for the Koreans, supported by Lee Kang-in in attack. Their predicted starting eleven includes Kim Seung-gyu in goal, Kim Min-jae at the back, and Hwang In-beom in midfield. Czechia are expected to field Kovar behind a defense of Chaloupek, Hranac and Krejci, with Schick leading the forward line.
Both teams sit on zero points in Group A ahead of kickoff. The Czech side needs a strong start to build qualification hopes, yet South Korea's recent scoring record gives them the clearer edge on paper. And the absence of Cho Yu-min might force slight adjustments in their backline, but the overall depth looks sufficient.
Patrik Schick carries the main goal threat for Czechia, while South Korea rely on Son to create and finish. This matchup favors the Koreans slightly, though Czechia can punish any lapses with their experienced players like Soucek and Provod.
Recommended Bets
South Korea win @1.85 — They've collected three victories in the last five matches, including two clean sheets recently.
Patrik Schick anytime goalscorer @3.40 — He remains Czechia's standout attacker after 16 Bundesliga goals this season and starts fully fit.
South Korea over 1.5 team goals @1.95 — Recent results show them scoring freely, with five against Trinidad and Tobago and one in each of their other wins.
Odds tend to shorten closer to kickoff — lock in value now.
