Uruguay vs South Korea World Cup Picks and Predictions: Stout Defense Leads to Clean Sheet for Uruguay

In a competitive Group H with no shortage of star power, a fast start will be critical for Uruguay and Korea Republic as they collide in Education City on Thursday. World Cup odds have Uruguay as the second favorite to win this group.

Of course, Uruguay almost wasn’t at the party in Qatar at all, needing a late surge to grab a qualifying spot. But Diego Alonso’s men have the look of an imposing tournament team, and key veterans are back for one last World Cup.

For Korea Republic, a strong qualifying performance boosted expectations, but Son Heung-Min’s fractured eye socket has dominated the build-up. The Tottenham star has been wearing a protective mask in training and his likely availability would be a big boost for a team that depends on him heavily. 

Find out more in our Uruguay vs Korea Republic World Cup picks and predictions ahead of this Thursday, November 24 showdown.

Uruguay vs South Korea odds

Uruguay vs South Korea picks and predictions

For all the attention on Luis Suarez and Darwin Nunez in attack, Uruguay’s path to the knockout rounds will be guided by their strength at the other end of the pitch. Alonso has incredible depth to choose from when picking his back four, from the experienced Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez, to Sebastian Coates and Ronald Araujo.

The results speak for themselves. Uruguay have kept a clean sheet in six of their last seven games, rebounding impressively after a miserable start to CONMEBOL qualifying. Defensively, this team is wily and physical, providing excellent protection in front of goalkeeper Sergio Rochet.

La Celeste’s defensive record are also boasted by the tireless midfield duo of Rodrigo Bentancur and Federico Valverde, who have blossomed and could be breakout World Cup stars. Look for that pairing to boss the game on Thursday.

That all adds up to an imposing wall for Korea Republic to get through, especially with Son feeling his way back to action after injury. The Taegeuk Warriors will need other forwards to step up, but Uruguay are well equipped to handle the likes of Hwang Hee-Chan and Hwang Ui-Jo.

Though Son and company scored freely in qualifying for the World Cup, they will find goalscoring chances harder to come by in Group H. I like Uruguay to set the tone early and lean on a rugged defense to close the door on Korea Republic with a clean sheet.

My best bet: Uruguay to keep a clean sheet (+100 at bet365)

Uruguay vs South Korea side analysis

Uruguay have been installed as the favorites here, in part because of the uncertainty over how much of a role Son will be able to play. After all, so many of Korea Republic’s best moments flow through their dynamic superstar.

To me, La Celeste looks like the more complete team heading into this opening round of Group H action. Even so, Alonso has some tricky decisions to make — not least, whether to start both Suarez and Nunez up front. A 4-3-3 formation has made it difficult to accommodate both, and wide man Giorgian de Arrascaeta popped up with some big goals en route to Qatar. 

Uruguay’s brave move to replace long-term boss Oscar Tabarez with Alonso has jolted the team into form — just one loss in their past nine games. Even more so, the emergence of Valverde gives La Celeste a true rising star and the type of talent who could be the X-factor here. 

Look for Paulo Bento to opt for a 4-4-2 formation with plenty of protection for a sometimes shaky Korea Republic defense. Though content to sit back and soak up pressure, Bento’s side have the ability to turn defense into attack at a rapid pace.

Uruguay vs South Korea Over/Under analysis

This feels like a low-scoring affair. I expect Korea Republic to lean towards a cautious approach — at least early on — while Uruguay excels at steadily grinding teams down. One goal might be enough to decide this game. 

Though Alonso has adopted a more adventurous style than some of his predecessors, the pressure of a World Cup may be enough to tilt the tactics a little more toward the team’s strength at the back.

For Korea Republic, if not Son, then who? The supporting cast still has plenty to prove in the final third and will get nothing easy against the Uruguay defense. Don’t be surprised if this one ends goalless.

An early goal for Korea Republic could create a very different game, but overall these two teams are a good bet to play out a defense-first scrap in hot, testing conditions.

Uruguay vs South Korea game info

Uruguay vs South Korea key injuries

Uruguay: Ronald Araujo CB (Questionable), Edinson Cavani ST (Questionable).
South Korea: Son Heung-Min AM (Probable).

Pages related to this topic