[2026 World Cup] Korea Shakes Up the Outlook—Round of 32 Within Reach With Win Over Mexico

June 19, 10:00 a.m., Group A Second Match

Effectively a Decider for First Place in the Group

The match between Korea and co-host Mexico, set to take place at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico at 10:00 a.m. (Korean time) on June 19, will effectively determine the winner of Group A.

Before the 2026 North and Central America World Cup kicked off, experts predicted that Mexico would finish first in Group A, with Korea and the Czech Republic competing for second place. However, Korea shook up the outlook by defeating the Czech Republic 2-1 in their opening match. In this tournament, if teams are tied on points, the head-to-head result takes precedence. With their victory over the Czech Republic, Korea is now in a favorable position to secure at least second place and even has a shot at topping the group. This is why The Athletic, a U.S.-based sports media outlet, raised Korea's probability of advancing to the round of 32 from 70.35% before the tournament to 93% after the Czech Republic match.

If Korea defeats Mexico and claims the top spot in Group A, the knockout stage schedule will become much more manageable. The first-place team in Group A will play both their round of 32 and round of 16 matches at Mexico City Stadium. In contrast, the second-place team must travel to the United States, with the round of 32 set for Los Angeles Stadium and the round of 16 at Houston Stadium. There is also a significant difference in opponents. The group winner will face the third-place team from the group stage in the round of 32, while the runner-up must play against the second-place team from Group B.

Yonhap News Agency

Easier Knockout Stage Schedule for Group Winners... Round of 32 and 16 Both in Mexico

Both Korea and Mexico earned three points each with victories in their opening matches, but reviews of their performances were mixed. Korea received high praise for coming from behind to defeat the formidable Czech Republic. In contrast, Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 but was criticized for an underwhelming performance against a team regarded as the weakest in Group A.

In particular, Mexico failed to dominate the match even after gaining a numerical advantage of 11 to 9 following the dismissal of two South African players. Instead, Mexico faced a setback just before the end of the game when their captain and defensive linchpin, Cesar Montes, was sent off during a counterattack. Montes received a red card in stoppage time for tripping Khuliso Mudau and will be ineligible for the second match against Korea.

Montes' absence is a significant advantage for Korea. Since 2017, he has been a core member of Mexico's defense, earning around 70 caps for the national team. He boasts both aerial dominance and build-up play and, at 195 cm tall, serves as a key attacking option during set pieces.

With Montes out, Korea will be somewhat relieved of set-piece defensive burdens. While Korea's overall performance against the Czech Republic was solid, the team looked vulnerable during set-piece situations. The first goal conceded came from a throw-in situation that was practically a set piece, and immediately after Hwang Inbeom's equalizer, Korea allowed a header goal from a set piece, which was overturned due to an offside ruling.

Korea will also benefit on the offensive side. Montes' absence increases Korea's chances of scoring from set pieces and expands the offensive options available to coach Hong Myungbo. Son Heungmin threatened the opposition with aggressive shots against the Czech Republic, and Oh Hyungyu demonstrated excellent finishing skills. Additionally, Cho Guesung could be utilized—he scored two goals with headers against Ghana in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Yonhap News Agency

Advantage for Korea as '195 cm Defensive Pillar' Montes Misses Out... Head-to-Head Record Favors Mexico

Korea trails Mexico in their all-time head-to-head record, with 4 wins, 3 draws, and 8 losses in 15 matches. In the World Cup finals, they have met twice, with Korea losing both times: 1-3 at the 1998 France World Cup and 1-2 at the 2018 Russia World Cup.

This match is also expected to be challenging for Korea, as it will be held on Mexico's home turf. Mexico is renowned for its world-class football fervor, and most of the stadium is likely to be filled with Mexican supporters. Korean players will have to contend not only with their opponents on the field but also with an overwhelmingly partisan crowd.

However, players such as Son Heungmin, Lee Jaesung, and Hwang Heechan have already experienced the intense Mexican support during the 2018 Russia World Cup. In particular, Son Heungmin scored his second personal World Cup goal in that match, finding the net with a powerful left-footed shot from distance in stoppage time after trailing 0-2. If he scores in this match, he will surpass both coach Hong Myungbo and Park Jisung to become Korea's all-time top World Cup scorer (four goals). The fact that the match will be played at the same stadium as the game against the Czech Republic offers a minor comfort for the Korean team.

One concern is that Korea has never won a second group stage match at the World Cup. Their record in second group matches stands at four draws and seven losses.

The two teams have taken different approaches to preparation since their first matches. Korea held a recovery training session for about an hour on June 13, the day after the victory over the Czech Republic, and took a rest on June 14. Son Heungmin attracted attention locally by visiting a taco specialty restaurant in Guadalajara with his father on that day.

In contrast, Mexico continued training at the national team training center in Mexico City on both June 13 and 14. The Mexican squad plans to travel to Guadalajara on June 17, two days before the match.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.