South Africa will lock horns with South Korea in a must-win match with knockout round qualification on the line at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey on Thursday, with kickoff set for 03:00 am.

Bafana are currently sitting at the bottom of Group A, while their opponents are in second spot with three points; both teams need to fight for a win to enhance their chances of booking a spot in the last 32. This highly anticipated match presents several betting opportunities with tantalising odds at Lucky Fish.

42/10 South Africa | Draw 49/20 | South Korea 7/10

Prediction: Over 9.5 Corners at 5/4

Bafana Bafana are one win away from writing themselves in the history books by making it in the knockout rounds of the World Cup for the first time.

The 2010 hosts began their campaign on the wrong foot, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat to tournament co-hosts Mexico. To make matters worse, two of their senior players, Themba Zwane and Siphephelo Sithole, received red cards.

They managed to get a crucial point when they held fellow Group A strugglers Czechia to a 1-1 draw, thanks to a penalty converted by Teboho Mokoena. The veteran midfielder will be serving a suspension and won’t be part of this encounter after receiving two successive yellow cards.

Hugo Broos will be boosted by the return of Sithole, who is expected to fill in for Mokoena in the defensive midfield position. He is expected to partner with Thalente Mbatha or Jayden Adams.

Youngster Relebohile Mofokeng made his World Cup debut and boosted Bafana’s attack together with Thapelo Maseko and Oswin Appollis. It remains to be seen whether the Belgian tactician will grant the trio a start and try to score early and seal the game.

South Korea, on the other hand, still has a chance of finishing as group leaders should they secure a victory in this match, and Mexico drops points in their match with Czechia. They have collected three points while Bafana is on one point; they will be gunning for a victory, as a draw wouldn’t guarantee automatic qualification.

The Taegeuk Warriors have failed to make it to the knockout stages since their 2002 historic semifinal finish, and they will be relying on the experience of Son Heung-Min and Paris Saint-Germain's Lee Kang-In to lead them to the next round.

The two will be meeting for the first time, and they both play exciting, fast-paced and attacking football. South Korea is a bit more physical, but Bafana has a strong defence of Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Aubrey Modiba, Ime Okon and Khuliso Mudau, which is expected to remain unchanged in this match.

Other Betting Markets to Explore:

Over Corners at 15/10
Over 3.5 Bookings at 9/10
BTTS - YES at 1/1

Must-Win Clash: Bafana and South Korea Battle for Last-32 Spot

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