World Cup: Group A: Mexico vs. South Korea, 6/18/2026

[Live in the Now]

This game will be in Guadalajara at 9 PM Eastern.

Both teams coming off wins, but the picture they painted isn't all that similar. This is only my opinion but I thought Mexico was just going through the motions while South Korea played their game much more fluidly, much more like a real team. That being said they are playing against the hosts, it's going to be difficult but probably not as difficult as the days before VAR. I think the Koreans can pull a draw out of this, potentially even win and mess with the intended match schedule a little bit. If they were to win it's likely Mexico would be sent to LA to play the Group B runner up.

To my eye I'd say SK needs to take care of the ball better. They turned the ball over a few times in really dangerous positions, and Mexico isn't like the big lumbering Czechs. They're fast and quick and they're going to pressure the ball. They are also missing their best defender, so we'll see how much that matters.


FWIW this game is going to be like the Super Bowl here.

 

[RobHood]

Mexico, you owe us a little bit of grace for Russia 2010.

 

[kabidjan18]

Mexico are definitely in better form than South Korea. South Korea have the better stars but Mexico's lineup is probably overall a bit better.

I do think Cesar Montes getting the red at the very end of the RSA game up 2-0 and 11-9 men was huge. Edson is not a scrub but Montes is the starter for a reason.

 

[luiginb]

That being said they are playing against the hosts, it's going to be difficult but probably not as difficult as the days before VAR.

I mean it was VAR that gave South Africa that disgraceful second red card

 

[Sol]

South Korea are definitely in better form than Mexico. South Korea has better stars and their line up is in general better.

I do think Cesar Montes absence won’t affect the play of anything. They will lose with or without him on the pitch.

 

[Evilo]

 

[qcal1427]

I was thoroughly unimpressed by Mexico yesterday but I'm willing to maybe give them the benefit of the doubt given how awful South Africa was. At the same time, I think Korea is well suited to actually exploit the space provided by their very haphazard press. Home field advantage though really will help, 1-1

 

[cgf]

I was thoroughly unimpressed by Mexico yesterday but I'm willing to maybe give them the benefit of the doubt given how awful South Africa was. At the same time, I think Korea is well suited to actually exploit the space provided by their very haphazard press. Home field advantage though really will help, 1-1

Yeah. Tough to say how much of that was nervousness from the Mexican team & not wanting an embarrassing home WM like Brazil…especially with the awkwardness of that game with SA’s sloppiness & the cards…and how much of it was Mexico just not having the talent to dominate as a favorite.

But that wasn’t the most encouraging of starts against what looked like one of the weaker sides at this tourney. If they don’t shake that off & look a lot better in this one, I see SK getting a result. They looked a lot more loose & free in their opener than did the Mexicans, and they have plenty of talent to go toe to toe with the hosts.

 

[robertmac43]

Never easy to get 3 points in Mexico. Giving them the slight edge because of that.

 

[Jack Straw]

I missed the cutoff for the poll but I'm going with South Korea here. 2-1.

 

[elmaco]

Can you explain?

 

[Sweetnut]

Who scores the first two goals for Mexico?
@Summer Rose

 

[Summer Rose]

Who scores the first two goals for Mexico?
@Summer Rose

Guillermo Ochoa.

 

[Shocker]

Time for the brothers to have a tilt

 

[Summer Rose]

View attachment 1256031
Can you explain?

“Official! Lionel Messi is elected man of the match for Mexico vs. South Africa.”

I’m guessing there’s a joke here that I’m not getting, but that’s what the French says.

 

[Bozo Nicholson]

Who scores the first two goals for Mexico?
@Summer Rose

El Sweet Nut

La nuez dulce

 

[Live in the Now]

The Mexico lineup is absolutely terrible. I think this could be quite an embarrassing loss.

 

[koyvoo]

Only three Kim’s in South Korea’s starting lineup tonight. Four Lee’s though.

 

[NyQuil]

Not sure if everyone saw this:

So when the coach of the South Korean team learned that a Swedish scout was spying on his team’s pre-tournament training camp, he came up with a wily ruse to befuddle the sneaky Scandinavian soccer snooper.

“We switched our players’ jersey numbers around to confuse them… it is very difficult for Westerners to distinguish between Asian faces,” coach Shin Tae-Yong revealed on Sunday.

Turns out Tae-Yong’s measure wasn’t driven by paranoia. The Swedes admitted to sending a scout to set up shop in a house in the mountains near South Korea’s training base in Austria, from where he spied on their training sessions using a high-end telescope and video camera.

World Cup: South Korean players swap training jerseys to confuse Swedish soccer spy - National | Globalnews.ca

A Swedish scout spied on World Cup opponent South Korea's training camp with a telescope — but the South Koreans had a ruse up their sleeve.

globalnews.ca

 

[Live in the Now]

The uniform matchup here is so far off it's annoying me. It's supposed to be green vs. red not whatever this is.

 

[NyQuil]

Have to go with the "home" team here.

Mexico always made it furthest when hosting.

 

[Sweetnut]

Only three Kim’s in South Korea’s starting lineup tonight. Four Lee’s though.

View attachment 1256110

Only one god damn Hwang

 

[Sweetnut]

Drop the puck already!

 

[Jack Straw]

Who scores the first two goals for Mexico?
@Summer Rose

Dani Rojas Dani Rojas

 

[Tuggy]

Should be a good match.