Preview: South Korea vs Paraguay – prediction, team news, lineups

Hoping to get back on track in preparation for the 2026 World Cup, South Korea will welcome Paraguay to the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Tuesday.

The Taegeuk Warriors are looking to put their recent battering firmly in the past, while Los Guaranies are aiming to make it four games unbeaten in midweek.

Match preview

Hong Myung-bo‘s South Korea qualified for the World Cup in the third round of the AFC process, topping Group B to directly reach the tournament.

Next summer is likely to be the final World Cup for legendary forward Son Heung-min, and the Taegeuk Warriors will be desperate to put together a memorable showing in North America having last gone beyond the round of 16 in 2002, when they were joint hosts.

However, Hong’s side come into this clash having won just one of their last four matches, a 2-0 victory over the United States on September 6 that saw Son score the opener and assist the second in a strong first half.

Most recently, South Korea were thrashed 5-0 by Carlo Ancelotti‘s Brazil, a result and performance that will be particularly concerning for fans given that the Tigers of Asia produced just one shot on target compared to Selecao’s seven, as well as 0.15 expected goals in contrast to their opponents’ three.

Tuesday’s hosts will be keen to restart their momentum as they build towards the World Cup, but considering that they have lost their last two home matches – failing to score in either – they will need to defy their form on their own turf to do so.

Meanwhile, Gustavo Julio Alfaro‘s Paraguay reached the World Cup finals for the first time since the iconic 2010 tournament in South Africa, and they have maintained their strong form in the games since.

Los Guaranies finished sixth in the CONMEBOL table, producing seven wins, seven draws and just four defeats – the joint-second fewest amongst the qualified nations – to end their campaign eight points clear of seventh-placed Bolivia in the playoff spot.

Impressively, Alfaro’s men’s resilience can also be seen in the fact that they have lost just one of their 13 matches since July 2024, a commendable stretch marred only by a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Selecao back in June of this year.

Following that loss, Paraguay kept consecutive clean sheets in a 0-0 draw with Ecuador and a 1-0 win on the road to Peru, before a 2-2 stalemate with Japan on Friday, a game in which La Albirroja twice took the lead.

Hoping to maintain the form that has brought them success so far, Los Guaranies will feel capable of achieving another positive result given that they have only tasted defeat in one of their last seven away clashes, though with just one victory in that period, they may lack the firepower to secure anything more than a stalemate on Tuesday.

South Korea International Friendlies form:

South Korea form (all competitions):

Paraguay International Friendlies form:

Paraguay form (all competitions):

Team News

South Korea will be keen to make amends for their thrashing last time out, and Son Heung-min could lead the line once again, supported by Lee Kang-in and Lee Jae-sung from out wide.

In the centre of the park, Hwang In-Beom may partner Paik Seung-ho, while Cho Yu-min, Kim Min-jae and Kim Ju-sung are likely to start in a back three, flanked by wing-backs Seol Young-woo and Lee Tae-seok.

As for Paraguay, Gustavo Gomez and Omar Alderete should continue at centre-half while Fabian Balbuena is sidelined with a broken ankle that is expected to keep him out until December.

Elsewhere, Diego Gonzalez and Miguel Almiron are likely to line up out wide, supplying striker Antonio Sanabria in the absence of the likes of centre-forward Isidro Pitta and winger Ramon Sosa, both of whom are out with thigh injuries.

In the middle third, Alfaro could name Damian Bobadilla and Andres Cubas in a double pivot, with Diego Gomez set to operate just ahead of them in an attacking midfield role behind the frontline.

South Korea possible starting lineup:

H Jo; Seol, Cho, M Kim, J Kim, T Lee; K Lee, Hwang, Paik, J Lee; Son

Paraguay possible starting lineup:

Fernandez; Caceres, G Gomez, Alderete, Alonso; Bobadilla, Cubas; Gonzalez, D Gomez, Almiron; Sanabria

We say: South Korea 1-1 Paraguay

South Korea will be desperate to recover from their 5-0 loss against Brazil in front of a home crowd, so expect to see a determined performance.

However, given Paraguay’s proven resilience both home and away, the hosts may be forced to settle for a draw on Tuesday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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