For the first time since 2000, Saudi Arabia and South Korea will face each other in the Asian Cup knockout stage. Their round of 16 match will take place on Tuesday at Education City Stadium.
Match Preview
In the opening phase, Saudi Arabia remained unbeaten in the group portion of the tournament, extending their undefeated run to eight matches in all competitions.
They topped Group F with a goalless draw against Thailand. Manager Roberto Mancini prefers 1-0 results and has built an impressive defensive record for his team.
On the other hand, South Korea had an exciting group stage with at least four goals scored in each of their three games.
However, they finished with just five points, their lowest tally in the group phase since 2007, and failed to top their group for the first time since 2011.
Since upsetting Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, Saudi Arabia has struggled when conceding the opening goal, losing nine out of their last ten games.
However, they have not lost a match against South Korea in their previous four meetings.
South Korea, as a national team, has a strong record in the Asian Cup, winning their opening knockout fixture in the past four tournaments.
They have never conceded a goal against Saudi Arabia in their previous encounters, but they have also never beaten them in the Asian Cup.
Team News
Both teams made changes to their starting lineups in the previous matches. Saudi Arabia made wholesale changes while South Korea brought in some new players.
The key players from both teams will be crucial in deciding the outcome of this match.
Saudi Arabia Possible Starting Lineup:
Al-Kassar;
Al-Briek, Al-Tambakti, Lajami, Al-Bulaihi;
Abdulhamid, Ali, Al-Malki, Ghareeb;
S. Al-Dawsari, Al-Shehri
South Korea Possible Starting Lineup:
Hyeon-woo;
Young-woo, Seung-hyun, Min-jae, Jin-su;
Kang-in, In-beom, Woo-yeong, Jae-sung;
Gue-sung, Heung-min
Prediction: Saudi Arabia 1-1 South Korea
These two teams have contrasting styles of play, and Saudi Arabia’s defensive shape could frustrate South Korea. We predict a 1-1 draw in regular time, with Saudi Arabia advancing on penalties.
The Saudi’s solid defense may give them a psychological edge when it matters the most.
