Czechia vs. South Korea Odds Picks & Predictions - Group A, 06/11
After all the hoopla and the run up, the 2026 World Cup gets underway with a Group A matchup as Czechia takes on South Korea Thursday night and we have you covered with our Czechia vs. South Korea prediction. Czechia ended up their tuneup for the World Cup by dropping Guatemala 3-1 in their previous match last Thursday. South Korea blanked El Salvador 1-0 in their final international friendly last Wednesday. This marks the first time that the two countries have met in World Cup play. Let’s break down this Czechia vs. South Korea matchup.
Don’t forget to check out all the World Cup odds as the tournament progresses!
Czechia Seeking to Pick Up Victory in Opener
Czechia had their work cut out for them to just make the World Cup field. The Lokomotiva had to down Ireland and Denmark in shootouts in the playoffs to get here. Czechia comes in unbeaten in their last six matches dating back to last November. This marks the Lokomotiva’s 10th World Cup appearance but their first since 2006. They currently stand 41st in the FIFA rankings entering the World Cup. Czechia owns a record of 12 wins, five draws and 16 defeats. It might be tough sledding but they intend on making some noise in the tournament.
In their final tuneup ahead of World Cup action, Czechia took care of business against Guatemala. That allowed the Lokomotiva to head into play here with momentum. Patrik Schick opened the scoring and gave Czechia a 1-0 lead with his goal in the 11th minute. Pavel Sulc assisted on that marker. They gave up the tying goal in the 40th minute and the match was tied at halftime. After a flurry of substitutions for both sides, Tomás Chory gave Czechia a 2-1 lead. His goal, which came in the 72nd minute, was assisted by David Doudera. Denis Visinsky made it 3-1 and closed the scoring with his tally in the 79th minute of play. Matěj Kovář, who was 4-2-3 in World Cup qualifying, is the expected goalkeeper here. He finished with four clean sheets in those nine matches.
South Korea Hoping to Make a Run
South Korea rolled through World Cup qualifying as they posted a record of 9-0-5, though it’s been a bumpier road lately. The Reds dropped friendlies to Ivory Coast (4-0) and Austria (1-0) in March but regrouped. South Korea bombed Trinidad and Tobago (5-0) on May 30 before edging El Salvador in their final friendly before group play starts. This marks the Reds’ 13th appearance in the World Cup and their 11th consecutive appearance. South Korea is ranked 25th in the FIFA rankings entering play. Their record in World Cup action stands at seven wins, 10 draws and 21 losses.
Against El Salvador, there wasn’t much in the way of offense but South Korea did enough to come up with the win. The Reds controlled possession for most of the contest and held a 15-3 advantage in shot attempts. That margin was 7-0 in terms of shots on goal. The match was scoreless at the half. In the second half. the Reds got on the board when Lee Dong-Gyeong scored in the 57th minute. South Korea maintained pressure the rest of the way. Even though they failed to score again, their control of possession carried them to victory.
Kim Seung-gyu is the projected starting goalkeeper for South Korea. In 24 World Cup qualifying matches, he is 17-6-1 with 18 clean sheets. He is 1-1-3 in five World Cup matches, posting one clean sheet in those contests.
Make sure you check for the latest Group A World Cup odds!
10 x $100 bet match in FanCash Czechia vs. South Korea Prediction
A match between a pair of evenly matched sides usually comes down to the little things. In a situation like this, experience plays a huge factor. South Korea has been here, repeatedly, as they are one of five nations to qualify for every World Cup dating back to 1986. Meanwhile, Czechia hasn’t been here since 2006. They’re not built to expose South Korea’s weaknesses defensively and luck was on their side to qualify. Luck is fickle, however, and sometimes it doesn’t go your way. Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in find a way to get the win for the Reds.
Our Prediction: South Korea +170 (FanDuel, -250)
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