South Korea v Mexico

Published on: 22 June 2018

Javier Hernandez and Hirving Lozano

Mexico captain Javier Hernandez embraces Hirving Lozano, who scored the winner against GermanyBBC coverage

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TEAM NEWS

Mexico head coach Juan Carlos Osorio admitted a flu bug hit the Mexico camp before their game with Germany, which affected his substitutions.

But Osorio is expected to stick with the same starting line-up for his team's second game in Group F.

South Korean keeper Jo Hyeonwoo, a surprise call-up, should keep his place after a solid performance in the 1-0 defeat by Sweden.

The South Koreans may look to reshuffle their attacking 4-3-3 formation.

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OVERVIEW

South Korea will be desperate to stop their World Cup losing streak, which now stands at three games after losing their opening match in Russia.

But after failing to keep a clean sheet in 12 of their previous 13 World Cup matches, keeping Mexico out could be as hard to come by as a goal at the other end.

The South Koreans have not scored in their last two games, but they have never gone three consecutive matches without scoring a goal in the competition.

Mexico will be buoyed by their impressive victory over defending champions Germany in their opening game, and Osorio's side - and resolute defence - will be tough to beat.

Hirving Lozano scored El Tri's winner against the Germans and the striker is in red-hot form, following 17 goals and eight assist in 29 appearances for PSV in the Dutch top flight last season.

South Korean midfielder Ki Sungyueng will move to joint-sixth on his country's all-time appearances list if he picks up his 104th cap on Saturday.

VIEW FROM BOTH CAMPS

South Korean midfielder Jung Woo-young: "You can compare the two teams on paper, but we know we have to produce results that can [disprove] people's predictions.

"We just think about how we can stop Mexico from playing their style of game."

This is Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio's first World Cup campaign as manager

Mexico coach Osorio said: "It's time for Mexico to show that we can take the initiative.

"We are, supposedly, superior to our opponents. We have to impose our (own) conditions."

Mexico midfielder Marco Fabian said: "We reached our first target and have beaten Germany, but we can't sit back. Some consider us to be group favourites now, and that's a compliment - but it's one we shouldn't believe. There are no favourites in this World Cup."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Mexico were hugely impressive in their win against Germany. In contrast, South Korea were disappointing in their defeat by Sweden and they will need to offer much more of a threat in this game if they are going to turn that bad start around.

Prediction: 1-1

Lawro's full predictions

MATCH FACTS Head-to-head

    The only previous World Cup meeting between South Korea and Mexico was in 1998, with the Central Americans running out 3-1 winners in the group stages.

South Korea

    South Korea have failed to keep a clean sheet in 12 of their last 13 World Cup matches, conceding in each of the last seven games in a row. In their opening group game versus Sweden, South Korea had more yellow cards (2) than shots on target attempted (0). The South Koreans are winless in their last seven World Cup matches (D2 L5), losing their last three in a row. They have failed to score in each of their last two World Cup games - they have never gone three consecutive matches without scoring a goal in the competition. This will be just the Koreans' third World Cup meeting with a Concacaf side, following that 3-1 defeat in 1998 and a 1-1 draw with the USA in the 2002 group stages.

Mexico

    Mexico have won all three of their World Cup games against Asian opposition (7 goals for, 2 against). Mexico have lost just two of their last 18 World Cup group stage matches (W9 D7). The El Tri have not won back to back matches at the World Cup since 2002, when they beat Croatia and Ecuador in their first two group matches that year. Rafael Marquez was aged 39 years and 124 days in his substitute appearance against Germany - he was the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup match since Roger Milla (42 years, 38 days) played for Cameroon versus Russia in 1994. Rafael Marquez appeared in the opening match for Mexico, making him the third player to play in five separate World Cup tournaments (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018) after Mexico's Antonio Carbajal and Germany's Lothar Matthäus.

MOST RECENT MEETING

Mexico 3-1 South Korea (France, 1998)

Source: bbc.com

Source: bbc.com

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