Published Jun 8, 5:42am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jun 8, 5:42am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Jun 8, 5:42am ET
The action on the opening night at the FIFA World Cup continues on June 11, as the second clash in Group A will see South Korea vs. Czech Republic staged at Estadio Guadalajara.
This could be a vitally important clash, as both nations are expected to be in direct competition for a spot in the top two places in Group A.
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|
|---|---|
| South Korea | +170 |
| DRAW | +211 |
| Czech Republic | +191 |
South Korea will be one of the most-followed nations at this summer’s World Cup, with their chances likely to hinge on the performance levels of LAFC star Heung Min Son.
Hong Myung-bo’s team have bounced back to their best form in recent internationals, winning to nil in their last two, and scoring an impressive six goals in wins over Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador.
However, their limitations against higher ranked nations have already been found, as they failed to score and lost back-to-back encounters against the Ivory Coast and Austria at the start of the year.
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The Czech Republic shouldn’t be underestimated in Group A this summer after previously showing a high level of form to reach the quarterfinals at EURO 2020.
Miroslav Koubek’s team were below that level in qualifying, winning just five of their ten fixtures. However, they held their nerve to book their spot at the World Cup in the playoffs, beating Denmark in the final.
Since then, Czechia have recorded back-to-back wins against Kosovo and Guatemala. However, their defensive record this year does raise concerns, as they have failed to keep a clean sheet in four fixtures.
South Korea’s aging squad will be a concern this summer, meaning that we could foresee a defensively solid Czechia winning due to their prowess from set pieces on MD1 in Mexico.
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Pick
Czech Republic (+191)
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