Russia – South Korea

Russia will feel they are at least the second best team in this Group H behind Belgium, but South Korea also has hopes for qualification and will try to upset the odds in this one.

Fabio Capello’s Russia is surely a team to watch out for in this World Cup. The Eastern Europeans are one of the best organized sides at the World Cup, with great tactical consistency and a rock solid defense. The fact that all the players are coming from the internal championship also assures excellent chemistry and cohesiveness. Wile the Russians do struggle a bit in offense, they are usually able to bang in the goals, just like they did in the friendly they played against the Korea Republic 7 months ago (2-1). Russia has not lost in the last 10 matches (7 wins, 3 draws) and looks to be in very good form coming into this World Cup.

The same thing can not be said against South Korea: the Asians are in very poor form for a long time now, they barely qualified for the World Cup ahead of Uzbekistan (finished 2nd behind Iran) and lost 4 of the last 5 matches, failing to score in each of those defeats – including a horrible 4-0 loss to Ghana just before the start of the World Cup. Korea Republic can still be considered a decent side, but they don`t have too much quality in the squad and if they keep up the same level of form, it will be a World Cup to forget.

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Team news & lineups

Russia and South Korea don`t have any absences, both managers will have a full squad to choose from.

Russia: Akinfeev – Eschenko, Ignashevich, Berezutski, Kombarov – Samedov, Denisov, Faizulin, Zhirkov – Dzagoev – Kokorin

Korea Republic: Sung-Ryong – Yong, Jeong-Ho, Young-Gwon, Sook-Young – Kook-Young, Sung-Yong, Ja-Cheol, Chung-Yong – Heung-Min – Chu-Young

Even though when these two met in November 2013 Russia won 2-1, I doubt South Korea will be able to score again, not in an official match. The Asians can`t create chances to save their lives recently and they will match up against one of the best defensive sides in world football. Russia is such a solid team, they have an excellent manager in Fabio Capello and I am very confident that they will be able to outplay this inferior, out of form South Korea team. Building on its defense, Russia will put pressure up front and will eventually convert one or two chances, after all their best players are in attack (Kokorin, Kerzhakov, Dzagoev, etc.). Russia to win seems like almost a lock here and the odds are going down big time, but I will take a calculated risk and tip Russia to win to nil with reasonably high stakes, the value is just too good to pass up. If you want safety, Russia to win is just fine, I`d say 9-10 units would not be a stretch. Prediction: Russia – South Korea 2-0.

Pick: Russia to win to nil
Odds: 3.25 @ Youwin
Stake: 7
Possible profit: 15.75
Event date: 17 June