'We will win' — South Korea stakes World Cup round-of-32 fate on South Africa clash

Hong signals two or three lineup changes for Thursday's Group A finale; Son's role, Castrop's debut among key questions; yellow-card management also in focus

South Korea's Lee Kang-in trains with teammates at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, Mexico, on Wednesday ahead of the team's Group A finale against South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. [Yonhap]

"If we start thinking a draw is enough, we could find ourselves in trouble. Our opponent is tricky. We will prepare for this match with the mindset that we must win."

South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo struck a determined tone at a press conference held Wednesday at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, Mexico. "Looking back at our World Cup history, we have often found ourselves in situations where we had to win to advance," he said. "The current situation — where a draw would still leave us second in the group — is not bad, but it is not particularly helpful either."

South Korea faces South Africa in their Group A finale Thursday morning at 10 a.m. at the same venue. A draw would be enough to clinch second place on their own merits and secure a spot in the round of 32.

A defeat, however, could prove dangerous. Group A winner Mexico, whose round-of-32 berth is already confirmed, plans to field a second-string lineup in their final match against the Czech Republic. Should Mexico lose to the Czechs, South Korea could drop to fourth in the group and be eliminated.

The squad held their final training session before the knockout stage on Wednesday, sweating through near-30-degree heat at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás. All 28 players took part in the session, which was open to the media for the first 15 minutes. The players trained with energy and high spirits, encouraging one another with applause and loud cheers.

South Africa rank 61st in FIFA's live rankings — the lowest in Group A and well below South Korea's 23rd — but the Taeguk Warriors cannot afford complacency. In five previous World Cup meetings against African nations, South Korea managed just one win, one draw and two losses. They conceded the opening goal in four of those matches. Breaking the so-called "Africa jinx" will likely require scoring first.

Hong signaled that "two or three positions" in the starting lineup would change from the first two matches, a shift widely interpreted as a small adjustment in attack aimed at generating more goals.

The biggest question surrounds how to deploy Son Heung-min. The striker started both previous matches as the lone center forward, doing his part to create space by drawing defenders, but failed to find the net. Critics noted that his isolated position made it difficult for him to deal with the long balls played into him.

Analysts expect Hong to drop Son back to his natural position on the left wing, with Cho Gue-sung or Oh Hyeon-gyu taking the central striking role — a change that could open up more chances for Son. He has scored three World Cup goals in his career and needs just one more to become South Korea's all-time leading scorer at the tournament.

Whether mixed-heritage forward Jens Castrop, who has a German father, will make his first appearance of the tournament is another question to watch. The Borussia Mönchengladbach starter, known for his pace and powerful shot, has yet to see even substitute duty at this World Cup. He is expected to be a potential attacking outlet down the left flank.

South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo watches his team train at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, Mexico, on Wednesday ahead of the Group A finale against South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. [Yonhap]

Monterrey, the host city for Thursday's match, is home to more than 300 South Korean businesses and a Korean community of some 5,000 people — a support base Hong welcomed warmly. "The fact that the players can feel like they are playing on home ground on Thursday is a great gift," he said.

The scorching heat, with a perceived temperature approaching 40 degrees Celsius, remains a challenge, though the Korea-South Africa kickoff is set for 7 p.m. local time, avoiding the worst of the midday sun.

Former national team player and commentator Lee Young-pyo, covering the tournament from Mexico, identified weaknesses in South Africa's defensive organization as a key area to exploit. "South Africa have shown problems with their defensive line control and cover play between players," he said. "If Korea can effectively cut off their strength — penetration into space behind the defense using their pace — and exploit the gaps in their defensive structure, Korea should be able to secure three points and advance to the round of 32."

With an eye on the knockout stage, yellow-card management will also be critical. Left-footed center back Lee Ki-hyeok was booked in the first match. Against Mexico in the second, Lee Kang-in picked up a yellow card as early as the fourth minute, and Baek Seung-ho received the squad's third caution of the tournament in the second half.

If any of the three are booked again against South Africa, they will be suspended for the round-of-32 match. Losing even one of them for the knockout opener would be a significant blow to the squad.

The referee for the South Africa match is Argentine official Facundo Tello, who gave Lee Kang-in a yellow card at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Tello is known for strict officiating and a tendency to reach for his cards frequently. If the players avoid a booking against South Africa, their accumulated cautions will be wiped clean from the round of 32 onward.

yjc@heraldcorp.com