Mexico – South Korea

The tournament hosts will not be able to secure a second consecutive victory.

One of the most intriguing fixtures of the World Cup's second day will take place in Mexico. It would seem that the teams taking part are not among the world's highest-ranked. Yet at least two factors draw attention to this clash. First, both teams won in the first round and, theoretically, have the potential to go deep into the knockout stage. Second, the position of the hosts in major tournaments, which they have often won, is always interesting. Mexico faced a weak opponent in the first round, and that match left some questions. The second match of the group should provide definitive answers about the Mexicans' competitiveness. In the first round, Javier Aguirre's charges were clearly stronger than the South African opponent. During the match there were several stretches when Mexico's play could not be explained. For example, the hosts in the end of the second half gave the ball away to South Africa, playing against nine of the opponent's players. Essentially, because of this inexplicable tactic, Mexico was left with ten men when Cesar Montes received a red card. South Korea played their match against the Czech Republic almost impeccably. The Czechs had the height advantage and bet on aerial balls, which partly paid off with Krejci's goal. However the Koreans turned out to be more versatile and creative, which allowed them to answer the Europeans with two goals and win 2-1. Bookmakers have identified the home side as favorites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 2.00 on their victory. Considering the three friendlies before the start of the 2026 World Cup, in the first group-stage round Mexico extended its winning streak to four. Among the roster losses one can highlight the aforementioned red card to Montes, who will not play against South Korea. There are far more questions about the Mexican team's play. If even against South Africa they managed to conjure up problems for themselves, how will they perform against a team that will play much livelier, more technically skilled, faster, and more creative? Indeed, Korea's match against the Czech Republic was not perfect, but Asian teams manage to keep pushing while their opponents begin to tire in the second half due to the North American heat.