South Korea have made a significant change to their starting lineup for the final Group A match, with captain Son Heung-Min moving to the bench. His place in the starting XI will be taken by Hwang Hee-Chan. This decision comes as South Korea aim to secure their spot in the next round of the World Cup.
The match against South Africa is crucial for South Korea, who need at least a point to confirm second place in the group. South Africa, on the other hand, must win to have any chance of progressing in the competition. Both matches in Group A, including Czech Republic versus Mexico, are scheduled to kick off simultaneously at 02:00 BST.
Team changes and implications
The decision to bench Son Heung-Min, who has been described as underwhelming in previous matches, highlights the strategic adjustments made by South Korea‘s head coach Hong Myung-bo. Hwang Hee-Chan, a fellow Wolverhampton Wanderers player, will step into the starting lineup. This change could provide a different dynamic for the Korean attack, which drew a blank in their last outing against Mexico.
Mexico, already confirmed as group winners, have also rotated their squad, making five changes from their previous match against South Korea. Among those moved to the bench is Raul Jimenez. However, Julian Quinones, who scored the first goal of this World Cup, is set to feature again.
South Africa will be without Teboho Mokoena due to suspension. Mokoena, who scored his country’s only goal in the tournament so far, received yellow cards in both of his first two matches, leading to an automatic ban. His absence will be a challenge for Hugo Broos‘s side as they seek a victory.
Group A scenarios
Mexico‘s position as group winners is secure, regardless of the outcome of their match against the Czech Republic. For South Korea, a draw against South Africa would be sufficient to advance, thanks to their head-to-head advantage over the Czech Republic. This means South Korea can progress to the knockout stages for the second consecutive time if they avoid defeat.
South Africa, having secured only one point from their initial two games, are in a more precarious position. They need a win to keep their hopes alive, and even then, their progression could depend on the result of the Czech Republic‘s match. A victory for South Africa might allow them to overtake South Korea for second place, or potentially qualify as one of the best eight third-placed teams.
The Czech Republic also needs a win to stay in the competition, with Ladislav Krejci starting as they aim to progress from the group stages for the first time since 1990, when they reached the quarter-finals as Czechoslovakia.
Lineups for the deciders
The confirmed starting lineups for the crucial matches have been released. For South Korea, the XI includes Seung-gyu Kim, Han-beom Lee, Min-jae Kim, Gi-hyuk Lee, Young-woo Seol, Seung-ho Paik, In-beom Hwang, Tae-seok Lee, Kang-in Lee, Hee-chan Hwang, and Hyeon-gyu Oh. Son Heung-Min is listed among the substitutes.
South Africa‘s lineup features Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Ime Okon, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Aubrey Modiba, Thalente Mbatha, Yaya Sithole, Thapelo Maseko, Relebohile Mofokeng, Oswin Appollis, and Evidence Makgopa.
The Czech Republic will start with Matej Kovar, Tomas Holes, Robin Hranac, Ladislav Krejci, Vladimír Coufal, Michal Sadílek, Lukas Cerv, David Doudera, Pavel Sulc, Denis Visinsky, and Adam Hlozek.
Mexico‘s starting XI includes Raúl Rangel, Jorge Sánchez, Israel Reyes, César Montes, Mateo Chávez, Gilberto Mora, Edson Álvarez, Luis Romo, Roberto Alvarado, Guillermo Martínez Ayala, and Julián Quiñones. These matches will determine the final standings of Group A.
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Source: fantasyfootballscout.co.uk
