"Son Heung-min will definitely score" — yet he starts on the bench... Hong Myung-bo's bold tactic for the South Africa match that even 'AI couldn't predict'

*This content was translated by AI.

This was a bold move by coach Hong Myung-bo that even artificial intelligence (AI) did not anticipate. "Captain" Son Heung-min (LAFC) will start the third group-stage match of the World Cup from the bench.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, will face South Africa in the third group-stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North, Central America and the Caribbean at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, at 10 a.m. Korea time on the 25th.

Currently, South Korea sits second in the group with one win and one loss (three points). They came from behind to defeat Czech Republic 2-1 in the first match, but lost 0-1 to host nation Mexico in the second match. Mexico has secured first place in the group with two consecutive wins (six points).

Now, South Korea, Czech Republic, and South Africa are competing for second place in the group. In this tournament, the top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams among the 12th groups will advance to the round of 32. However, securing second place is crucial for a stable entry into the knockout stage. Currently, Czech Republic and South Africa are both tied with one draw and one loss (one point), chasing South Korea. South Korea's opponent, South Africa, must win to keep any chance of advancing from the group stage.

Ahead of the match, South Korea announced its starting lineup. The most striking point was the exclusion of Son Heung-min from the starting lineup. Coach Hong Myung-bo made a bold move by benching Son Heung-min. Instead, Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas) will play as the central striker. Oh Hyeon-gyu previously scored the dramatic winning goal against Czech Republic in the first match.

Coach Hong Myung-bo started Son Heung-min in both the first and second matches, but substituted him relatively early in both games. In the Czech Republic match, the tactic worked: Son Heung-min was substituted in the 24th minute of the second half, and Oh Hyeon-gyu, who came on in his place, scored in the 35th minute of the second half. However, the same result did not occur in the Mexico match. Trailing 0-1, coach Hong Myung-bo brought Son Heung-min off the bench in the 12th minute of the second half. Nevertheless, South Korea failed to equalize and bowed their heads. For this third match, Son Heung-min was completely excluded from the starting lineup.

Coincidentally, overseas media focused on Son Heung-min's scoring potential before the match. The British Daily Mail analyzed key matches of the World Cup group stage, including South Korea vs. South Africa, on this day. The Daily Mail has been presenting match predictions through a competition format between football betting experts and an AI prediction system during this tournament. The A-group third match between South Korea and South Africa was also included in the analysis.

What caught attention was the prediction regarding Son Heung-min's scoring. The Daily Mail reported that both the AI prediction system and experts viewed Son Heung-min's chances of scoring against South Africa as high. The media stated, "Seven prediction models, one conclusion: Son Heung-min will be on the list of scorers."

The Daily Mail's football expert also offered the same prediction. He said, "I also expect the former Tottenham star to find the back of the net. He was substituted at a somewhat early timing during the recent loss to Mexico, which could have been disappointing for the player himself."

He continued, "This time, facing South Africa, which will have to push their defensive line up and advance forward recklessly to secure a victory, Son Heung-min breaking through the space behind fits perfectly with my prediction."

The Daily Mail expert also strongly predicted that South Africa would find it difficult to defeat South Korea. He stated, "It's hard to understand how, but South Africa still has a chance to reach the round of 32. For South Africa to advance, they must defeat South Korea. However, judging by South Africa's performance in the first two group-stage matches, that probability is practically close to 0%."

He added, "This also shows how dismal Czech Republic's record is after drawing with South Africa. South Korea has scored two or more goals in four of their last six World Cup group-stage matches. We believe they have sufficient strength to do so again this time."

However, coach Hong Myung-bo's choice was different. While overseas AI and experts predicted Son Heung-min would score, Son Heung-min himself will start the match from the bench rather than the starting lineup. AI did not predict the starting lineup itself. However, the prediction came immediately after forecasts based on Son Heung-min's participation and scoring, making it an even greater twist.

Coach Hong Myung-bo's choice appears to be based on clear calculation. South Korea can advance to the round of 32 in second place with just a draw against South Africa. There is no need to push aggressively from the start. Conversely, South Africa must win. As time passes, they are likely to push their defensive line up and advance forward. This opens the possibility of bringing Son Heung-min on in the second half at a critical moment. The intention could be to utilize Son Heung-min's speed and finishing ability against a fatigued South African defense.

Oh Hyeon-gyu's selection also warrants attention. Oh Hyeon-gyu made his presence felt by scoring the winning goal against Czech Republic. He is a striker with strengths in aerial duels, physical battles, and movement inside the box. He is expected to hold up play in the front line against South Africa and link up with second-line resources.

Meanwhile, South Korea will deploy a 3-4-2-1 formation today. Oh Hyeon-gyu will play as the lone striker, with Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) and Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) positioned in the second line. The wing-backs on both flanks will be Lee Tae-seok (Austria Vienna) and Seol Young-woo (Crvena Zvezda). The midfield will be orchestrated by Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) and Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City). The three-man defense will consist of Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland). The goal will be guarded by first-choice goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo).

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*This content was translated by AI.