'Son Heung-min starts as lone striker for second consecutive match': Hong Myung-bo's lineup for the decisive match against Mexico revealed... 'Only one' change → 'Surprise' debut for Kim Moon-hwan [World Cup LINEup]

*This content was translated by AI.

This is a decisive match that could determine the Group A winner. The South Korean national football team has announced its starting lineup ahead of its match against Mexico.

South Korea will face Mexico at Estadio Akron at 10 a.m. on the 19th (Korea time) in the second Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

In the first match, South Korea secured three points against the Czech Republic, while Mexico earned three points against South Africa. According to the tournament's tiebreaker rules, the winner of today's match will secure first place in the group.

South Korea will deploy Son Heung-min (LAFC) as the lone striker, with Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) positioned behind him. The midfield will consist of Seol Young-woo (Crvena Zvezda), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City), and Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon Hana Citizen). The defense will be formed by a back three of Lee Ki-hyuk (Wonju FC), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), with Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo) guarding the goal.

This lineup features changes compared to the previous match against the Czech Republic. Seol Young-woo replaces Lee Tae-seok (Austria Vienna) on the left wing, while Kim Moon-hwan takes over the right wing position previously held by Seol Young-woo.

Coach Hong Myung-bo stated in a press conference the day before, "We will play against the home team. This will be the best match for South Korea in the group stage. Mexico will likely come out very strong, so we must prepare well," reaffirming his determination to win.

Additionally, Coach Hong Myung-bo emphasized, "Czech Republic and Mexico are completely different teams. It is crucial to control the variables during the match."

Regarding Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), the cornerstone of the defense, he said, "Everyone knows Kim Min-jae's importance. Defense relies not only on individual ability but more on team organization. Mexico's attackers move well, so coordination with surrounding players will be key when moments of vulnerability occur."

Currently, the group stage tiebreaker rules prioritize head-to-head results. If South Korea, which has three points from its first match victory, defeats Mexico in this game, it will accumulate six points and secure first place in Group A early by surpassing South Africa (one point) and the Czech Republic (one point) in both points and head-to-head records.

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*This content was translated by AI.