South Korea are making their 11th consecutive World Cup appearance, but have made it out of the group stage only twice in that span. The Taegeuk Warriors will look for a better result in Qatar, but it will not be easy when they take on Diego Alonso’s Uruguay side in Group H.
The two nations will square off on Nov. 24 at Education City Stadium with a kickoff scheduled for 5 a.m. ET.
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Uruguay enters the tournament after finishing third in CONMEBOL behind World Cup favorites Brazil and Lionel Messi’s Argentina. Meanwhile, South Korea finished as the runners-up in their AFC qualifying group behind Iran.
Let’s look at current betting odds in order to identify best bets and props for this Group H fixture between the Taegeuk Warriors and La Celeste.
Uruguay vs South Korea Odds
- 3-way handicap: Uruguay (-115) | Draw (+225) | South Korea (+375)
- Draw No Bet: Uruguay (-300) | South Korea (+220)
- Over/Under Goals: Over 2.5 (+130) | Under 2.5 (-185)
Uruguay vs South Korea odds are current as of Friday, Oct. 14, from BetMGM Sportsbook unless otherwise noted.
Uruguay are listed as a moderate favorite against South Korea, with an expectation for a low-scoring match. However, there is plenty of room for profit to bet on the three-way handicap.
Uruguay vs South Korea Prediction
Uruguay 2-0 South Korea
Paulo Bento has a well-rounded South Korean roster, but the Taegeuk Warriors have won just three times in their last 13 World Cup matches. The Taegeuk Warriors have the ability to run multiple set pieces this year, as they've run five different lineups, with a 4-1-4-1 being their most run set.
South Korea has a 10-2-3 record this year, thanks to their ability to change formation, in addition to the efforts of their talented captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), and Hwang Ui-jo (Olympiacos).
That said, Uruguay is a cut above with a mixture of experienced stars like Luis Suárez (Nacional) and Edinson Cavani (Valencia) and exciting prospects such as Darwin Núñez, (Liverpool) and Federico Valverde (Real Madrid).
While South Korea posses a dangerous striking duo between Son and Hwang, Uruguay can match their talent while exceeding the Korean side in every other area of the pitch.
I expect La Celeste to concentrate on slowing down the tempo of the match, taking away the counter attacking abilities of the South Korea attackers. This will be closer to a defensive battle than a shootout.
Uruguay vs South Korea Betting Tips
- Uruguay has won five of the last six meetings between the two nations.
- South Korea were victorious in their last meeting against Uruguay in 2018.
- South Korean striker Son Heung-min is the reigning Golden Boot winner in the English Premier League.
- Under 2.5 Goals has hit in five of Uruguay's last seven World Cup matches
- Under 2.5 Goals has hit in four of South Korea’s last six World Cup matches.
Uruguay vs South Korea Best Bets
➕ Uruguay Wins & Under 2.5 Goals (+250) at BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 unit
The high-profile attackers may lead the public to expect a high-scoring match. However, I fully expect a defensive battle where Uruguay dominates possession.
A wager on the moneyline (-115) is another fine option if you want to eliminate the variable of the final score.
However, I would avoid an exact score prop that involved a clean sheet merely because of the scoring talent South Korea has on the pitch where a goal can come out of nowhere.
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