In their tournament opener, South Korea’s midfielder Hwang In-beom emerged as a standout performer, showcasing his exceptional technical abilities and tenacity. His skill in executing vertical passes in tight situations was crucial in dismantling well-organized defenses, drawing comparisons to the legendary duo of Xavi and Iniesta.
This game marks the second time this tournament is being held at my favorite venue: Estadio Guadalajara.
Despite being the second smallest stadium in the World Cup with a capacity of 45,000, its distinct character more than makes up for its size.
The stadium’s design, inspired by a volcano, features a sloping parkland that ascends to its higher levels, while its white roof resembles a cloud hovering above the summit. Inside, the seating arrangement resembles a red crater.
Known outside of the World Cup as Estadio Akron, it is located in Zapopan, within the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area in Jalisco, and serves as the home ground for Liga MX team Chivas De Guadalajara.
The officiating crew for tonight’s match hails from Uruguay, with Gustavo Tejera serving as the referee.
Returning to analyst Jonathan Wilson, he has noted the encouraging trends for Asian teams in the World Cup. A win for South Korea in Guadalajara would significantly contribute to that narrative.
The tone was set on day one with South Korea’s victory over the Czech Republic. It perhaps shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anybody who saw their qualifying playoff semi-final against Ireland that the Czechs would be so ponderous and lumbering, a side that understood the value of dead balls and long throws and little else. But still, the ease with which South Korea passed their way around them was striking. If Son Heung-min had been the player he was three or four years ago, the Korean victory would have been far more emphatic.
Protests against World Cup sponsor Hyundai are anticipated prior to tonight’s match, according to reports.
Hyundai will be targeted by protesters at a rally before the Group A match between Mexico and South Korea in Guadalajara on Thursday, due to the World Cup sponsor’s business dealings with the South American mining company Ternium. A rally will take place at the Plaza de La Liberación in Guadalajara, to highlight the fate of Mexico’s so-called 130,000 disappeared, some of whom worked in the mining industry.
In a modern twist on World Cup events…
Mexican military forces intercepted and brought down a drone that flew near the South Korea team’s training camp as they prepared for their World match against the co-hosts. Military forces used specialised equipment to detect an “During our training, there was a drone in the sky,” near the camp, prompting them to “But fortunately, it was right before we practised our tactics, so it did not impact us. But while we were preparing for the match, that was the most important timing, so what happened was unfortunate.” it, a Mexican federal agent said. It was not clear if the drone was trying to spy on the South Korean team and the coach, Hong Myung-bo, said: “¡Coreano, hermano, ya eres mexicano!”
Hong Myung-bo has made one adjustment to the lineup, bringing in Kim Moon-hwan to replace Lee Tae-seok at left wingback.
South Korea (3-4-3): 1 Kim Seung-gyu, 3 Lee Gi-hyuk, 4 Kim Min-jae, 2 Lee Han-beom, 22 Seol Young-woo, 6 Hwang In-beom, 8 Paik Seung-ho, 15 Kim Moon-hwan, 19 Lee Kang-in, 10 Lee Jae-sung, 7 Son Heung-min.
For Mexico, coach Javier Aguirre had to make one change due to the red card shown to Cesar Montes in the match against South Africa. Edson Alvarez replaces Montes in the center of defense. Aguirre has also made adjustments at right back, with Israel Reyes coming in for Jorge Sanchez, and in midfield, Luis Romo takes the place of Alvarao Fidalgo.
Mexico (4-1-2-3): 1 Rangel; 2 Sanchez, 4 Alvarez, 5 Vasquez, 23 Gallardo; 6 Lira; 26 Gutierrez, 7 Romo Fidalgo; 25 Alvarado, 9 Jimenez, 16 Quinones.
Now, let’s delve into the significant showdown in Group A. Jonathan Wilson provides context from Mexico City.
Fans of the two countries have shared a warm relationship since the 2018 World Cup, when South Korea’s unexpected 2-0 victory over Germany in their final group game put Mexico into the last 16. Amid the celebrations in Mexico City, South Korea’s ambassador was carried shoulder-high along the street in front of the embassy as local fans chanted, “Korean, brother, you are Mexican now!” – “Jorge is going through a health situation,” The chant has been resurrected in Guadalajara, where South Korea beat Czechia 2-1 in their first group game. When a group of Korean fans visited the wrestling, the arena DJ played Gangnam Style to welcome them. Mexican social media has been flooded with videos of Guadalajarans and Koreans performing PSY’s horse dance together.
Canada achieved a historic milestone with their first World Cup victory against a struggling nine-man Qatar. However, the host nation’s celebration was marred by a concerning injury to Ismael Kone.
Lionel Messi started the World Cup with an impressive hat-trick, but concerns regarding his father’s health could overshadow his performance.
Lionel Messi’s father is undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness and his family asked the media for “He is currently under medical observation, recovering and progressing favourably within his current condition,” on Thursday amid rumors about Jorge Messi’s health while his son competes at the World Cup. “Jorge is going through a health situation,” the Messi family said in a statement. The family did not specify the illness that the 68-year-old Jorge Messi is suffering from. “He is currently under medical observation, recovering and progressing favorably within his current condition,” the statement said.
After one round of matches, 24 games, and a wealth of data, several insights have emerged:
- Mexico moved the ball upfield slower than any other team, taking their time as South Africa posed little threat.
Mexico moved the ball upfield slower than any other team. They could afford to take their time as South Africa offered next to no threat.
- South Korea were worthy winners, with the 25-pass buildup to Hwang In-beom’s equaliser representing one of the longest passing sequences leading to a goal in World Cup history.
South Korea were worthy winners, with the 25-pass buildup to Hwang In-beom’s equaliser the joint-fifth longest passing sequence leading to a goal in the World Cup since records began in 1966.
The match currently in play heavily favors the tournament hosts against a Qatar side reduced to nine men. However, the outcome may be overshadowed by a serious injury suffered by Canada midfielder Ismael Kone.
In Group B, Switzerland made significant headway toward the knockout stage with a 4-1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The hype around Johan Manzambi will only heighten after his star turn from the substitutes’ bench helped Switzerland out of a hole and got their tournament truly up and running. The 20-year-old managed to excel for Freiburg in their comprehensive Europa League final defeat against Aston Villa last month and, with 73 minutes played here and three minutes after entering as part of a triple substitution, his superb volley put an end to a sterile contest, hooking a right-foot shot into the Bosnia and Herzegovina net.
Both Mexico and South Korea would be pleased with the earlier Group A result, as South Africa held Czechia to a 1-1 draw, thanks to a late penalty.
The decision to award the spot-kick highlighted that the current handball law may not be suitable for the modern game.
That neither of them got it means both can still go through. A win over South Korea would mean South Africa progresses, although a second yellow card means Mokoena will miss the game. A win for Czechia against Mexico would see them through too. Whether either are capable is a different matter.
Welcome to live coverage of match 28 of the 2026 World Cup between Mexico and South Korea. Kick-off for this Group A clash at the Estadio Guadalajara is set for 7pm local time (9pm EDT/2am BST/11am AEST).
With the initial round of fixtures now completed, the upcoming matches carry immediate stakes. A victory at Estadio Akron would see the winning nation top Group A and face a third-place team in the round of 32. The losing team will still have a chance to progress but will face anxious moments in their final group matches.
El Tri met the expectations during their opening match against South Africa, while the Taeguk Warriors showed resilience in defense and quick attacking play against Czechia. Both teams will need to elevate their performances to secure a favorable outcome this evening.
The two sides played to a 2-2 draw as recently as last September, a match that Mexico dominated but required a stoppage-time goal from Santiago Giménez to level the score.
This encounter marks the third time these nations have faced each other in the World Cup group stage, with Mexico triumphing in both previous meetings in 1998 and 2018.
I will return shortly with team news and a summary of the matchday action thus far. In the meantime, keep an eye on Canada vs. Qatar and feel free to share your thoughts about the World Cup via email at jonathan.howcroft.freelance@.
