South Korea and Czechia both enter this Group A opener looking to build momentum. South Korea have a head-to-head advantage (1-0 record vs Czechia) and field Son Heung-min in a potent attacking trident with Lee Jae-sung and Lee Kang-in. Czechia counter with Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen's reliable finisher) and a compact midfield anchored by Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Coufal's defensive width. South Korea's 3-4-2 shape gives them numerical advantage in midfield and allows fullback play from Lee Tae-seok and Lee Gi-hyuk, while Czechia sit in a 3-4-2-1 to control space. The key battle will be South Korea's pace on the wings vs Czechia's defensive solidity; expect Son to be the primary threat. Both teams will be cautious in a first game, but South Korea's possession and creative depth (Hwang In-beom, Paik Seung-ho linking play) should edge a tight contest. Czechia will likely score if they break effectively through Schick, but South Korea's home advantage and attacking quality should prevail in a low-scoring match.

The task is to predict the full outcome of the match: South Korea (home) vs Czechia (away). It's a group stage match, kickoff 2026-06-12T02:00:00+00:00 at Estadio Akron, Guadalajara. First, the user query is about predicting South Korea vs Czechia in 2026, with given lineups. I need to use tools to gather latest team form, H2H, injuries, etc.

South Korea and Czechia are both defensively disciplined sides that prioritize structure over expansive play, making a tight, low-scoring encounter highly probable. Czechia relies heavily on set-piece dominance and the physicality of Patrik Schick, while South Korea will look to utilize the creativity of Lee Kang-in and the finishing of Son Heung-min in transition. Given the stakes of an opening group match, both teams are likely to adopt a cautious approach, leading to a balanced draw.

This Group A opener is a stylistic clash — South Korea's fluid front four (Son, Lee Kang-in, Lee Jae-sung) against Czechia's tall, physical 3-4-2-1 anchored by Souček and Krejčí. Korea will look to exploit the space behind Zelený and Coufal with Son's dribbling and Lee Kang-in's creativity. Czechia rely on Schick's hold-up play and Šulc/Provod arriving late. With no confirmed injury concerns on either side and both teams nervous in a World Cup opener, expect an open, transitional game. Korea's centre-back pairing of Kim Min-jae and the inexperienced Lee Han-beom is vulnerable to Schick's aerial ability, while Czechia's back-three lack pace against Son and Lee Kang-in. Korea score first through a Son break; Souček levels from a corner; Lee Kang-in restores the lead with a free-kick; Schick equalises late after a set-piece scramble. A 2-2 draw feels the most balanced outcome.

South Korea should control possession through Lee Kang-in and Hwang In-beom, with Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan attacking the channels behind Czechia’s back line. Czechia are strongest when they can be direct and physical, so I expect a compact mid-block built around Souček and Schick, with Coufal and Jurásek providing width and delivery. The most likely game state is Korea having more of the ball, Czechia threatening from set pieces and transitions, and a narrow margin either way.

This is a Group A opener at the World Cup. South Korea under Hong Myung-bo typically use a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1, with Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in as the creative outlets wide of a central striker (likely Cho Gue-sung for his hold-up play). Hwang In-beom and Paik Seung-ho form a balanced midfield pivot, while Kim Min-jae anchors the back three. Czechia, under similar tactical trends, deploy a 3-4-2-1 with Souček and Darida as the double pivot, Schick leading the line, and Hložek/Provod as the attacking midfielders. Coufal and Jurásek provide width at wing-back. Both teams will be cautious early in a World Cup group, but Korea's home-continent advantage and pace on transitions give them a slight edge in a tight match. Score prediction: South Korea 1-0 Czechia.

The task is to predict starting lineups for South Korea (home) vs Czechia (away) in a group stage match. Kickoff is 2026-06-12T02:00:00+00:00 at Estadio Akron, Guadalajara. First, the user query is about predicting starting lineups for South Korea vs Czechia in 2026 World Cup group stage. I need to use tools to gather info: search for recent team sheets, injury news, etc. Available tools aren't listed in the prompt, but from context, probably web_search, etc.

South Korea will likely deploy a 4-3-3 formation to maximize their attacking potential with Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan on the wings, supported by midfield control through Lee Ki-hyuk and Hwang In-beom. Czechia traditionally uses a 4-2-3-1 setup, anchored by Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Darida in midfield, with Patrik Schick leading the line. South Korea's home advantage and attacking depth should generate a tight, competitive 1-1 draw.