MEXICO CITY: Mexico and South Korea will put their perfect starts on the line when they meet on Thursday in Guadalajara, with the winners taking a major step toward securing top spot in World Cup Group ‘A’.

Co-hosts Mexico opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over South Africa but coach Javier Aguirre faces key selection decisions after defender Cesar Montes was sent off in a chaotic second half that produced three red cards.

Montes will miss the clash through suspension, forcing a reshuffle at the back, with captain Edson Alvarez among the options to fill the vacancy in central defence while Israel Reyes could also be moved inside from right back.

Aguirre could also hand a starting role to Gilberto Mora after the teenager impressed off the bench in the opener. At 17, Mora is the youngest player at the tournament and energised Mexico’s attack during his World Cup debut.

South Korea also began with a victory, overcoming the Czech Republic 2-1 thanks to a late winner from striker Oh Hyeon-gyu.

Coach Hong Myung-bo’s options have expanded since that match, with midfielders Bae Jun-ho and Kim Tae-hyeon nearing returns from injuries that disrupted their preparations for the tournament.

Hong must also decide how best to use captain Son Heung-min, whose influence has waned since his move to Major League Soccer side LAFC last year.

While both teams remain well placed to reach the knockout stage, finishing first in the group would likely offer a more favourable route through the tournament and avoid an early meeting with another group winner.

Meanwhile, defeat in their opening Group A games leaves the Czechs and South Africa playing catch-up when they meet in Atlanta on Thursday, and both sides need a vastly improved performance in order to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

South Africa, who last played in the showpiece in 2010, have never progressed beyond the group stage in three previous appearances and will be without suspended Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane.

The Czechs have waited even longer for their World Cup chance than South Africa, with their last appearance coming 20 years ago.

Their final group game will be against Mexico at the Azteca stadium, so this second match will be the Czech Republic’s main target to get three points on the board to give themselves a real chance of remaining in the tournament.

WIDE-OPEN GROUP ‘B’

Meanwhile on Thursday, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina will both look to turn opening draws into momentum when they meet in a pivotal World Cup Group ‘B’ clash at the Los Angeles Stadium.

With all four teams in the group level on one point after 1-1 draws in the opening round, the noon kickoff could go a long way toward shaping a section that remains finely balanced before the final matches.

Taking a point off the co-hosts in their own backyard was still a good result for Bosnia, who can take firm control of the group if they beat the Swiss since they face Qatar in the final match.

All four teams are tied on identical records: one goal scored, one conceded and one point each.

For Switzerland, the challenge will be to reassert the tournament pedigree that has made them reliable group-stage performers. The Swiss have lost only one of their last eight World Cup group matches, winning four and drawing three, and have scored in nine of their last 10 group games at the finals.

In the other Group ‘B’ clash on Thursday, Qatar face a stern test against Canada in Vancouver, but the Middle Eastern side are well prepared and determined to build on their opening result, midfielder Karim Boudiaf said.

“We are preparing very well for the Canada match,” Boudiaf told Qatari newspaper Al Raya ahead of Thursday’s game. “We fully understand the importance of this match for us and know it will be an important stage in our tournament journey.

“We know very well that the match will not be easy at all. The Canada team has quality players and will be playing on their home soil and in front of their fans, which gives them extra motivation. But we also have great ambition and determination to deliver our best and achieve a positive result.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2026