South Korea vs. South Africa Odds, Picks & Predictions - Group A, 06/24

After all the hoopla and the run up, the third round of group play of the 2026 World Cup kicks off with a Group A matchup as South Korea takes on South Africa Wednesday night and we have you covered with our South Korea vs. South Africa prediction. South Korea was edged 1-0 by Mexico in their second group play matchup Thursday night in their previous contest. South Africa earned a 1-1 draw with Czechia in their second group play match Thursday their last time out. This marks the first time that the two countries have met in World Cup play. Let’s break down this South Korea vs. South Africa matchup.

Don’t forget to check out all the World Cup odds as the tournament progresses!

South Korea Trying to Earn Spot in Knockout Round

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 stand second in Group A with a record of one win, no draws and one loss after falling to Mexico. They’re trying to earn their spot in the knockout round, which can be secured with a win. This marks the Reds’ 13th appearance in the World Cup and their 11th consecutive appearance. South Korea stands 25th in the FIFA rankings entering play. Their record in World Cup action stands at eight wins, 10 draws and 22 losses.

Against Mexico, South Korea was the better side in terms of most analytics but was unable to put anything on the scoreboard. The Reds held a near three-to-two advantage in terms of possession in the match. In addition, South Korea lost the shots on goal by a 4-2 margin in the match. The Reds and El Tri played a tight first half with neither side generating much in the way of scoring chances. As a result, the match was scoreless at the half. In the second half, South Korea gave up the equivalent of an empty-net goal in the 50th minute as the ball went over the back of Lee Gi-hyuk. That set up Luis Romo in the 50th minute of play. The Reds had a pair of excellent chances in the 87th minute only to be stopped.

Kim Seung-gyu projects to make his eighth career World Cup appearance in this contest. He has a record of two wins, one draw and four losses in those contests. In addition, he has one clean sheet on his ledger.

South Africa In Need of a Win in Group Finale

South Africa posted a record of no wins, three draws and a loss in their four international friendly matches leading into the World Cup. In addition, they have a loss to Mexico and a draw against Czechia on their ledger in group play. The Bafana Bafana make their fourth World Cup appearance here and their first since being the host nation back in 2010. South Africa seeks to get past the group stage for the first time in their history. Their all-time record in World Cup play is two wins, five draws and four losses. South Africa enters World Cup action standing 60th in the FIFA rankings. That makes them the lowest ranked side in Group A so they’re looking for an upset here.

Against Czechia, South Africa needed a bit of luck to set up their tying goal but it paid off in the end. The Bafana Bafana owned slightly better than a three-to-two margin in terms of possession in the match. In addition, South Africa held a 4-3 advantage in shots on goal yet managed to earn a point. South Africa was threatened to be run right off the pitch early. They gave up the opening goal in the sixth minute and that was the score at the half. After thwarting a couple chances for Czechia that may have made it a 2-0 score, South Africa caught a break late. The Bafana Bafana earned a penalty kick in the 83rd minute after a shot hit the hand of Czechia’s Pavel Sulc. On the ensuing penalty, Teboho Mokoena converted to tie the score. That led to the draw.

Ronwen Williams, the 34-year-old goalkeeper with 17 World Cup qualifying match appearances, is expected between the sticks for this match. He posted a record of nine wins, four draws and four losses in those contests. Williams recorded eight clean sheets in those 17 matches. This marks his third World Cup appearance.

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South Korea vs. South Africa Prediction

South Korea is in a favorable spot here as a win or draw gives them second place in the group and puts them in the knockout stage. In addition, the Reds have the experience advantage in their favor here. South Africa has a slim shot at advancing with a draw while a win could bump them through to the knockout stage. Meanwhile, the Bafana Bafana have to retool their midfield as Mokoena and Themba Zwane are both out for yellow card accumulation. With South Africa going all out to try and get the win, the Reds take advantage of a couple miscues to earn the victory.

Our Prediction: South Korea ML (DraftKings, -150)