South Korea vs Iraq prediction and betting tips on October 15, 2024
World Cup Qualification AFC
Game Prediction
On October 15, 2024, South Korea will face Iraq in the 4th round of the AFC World Cup qualifiers. Both teams have started the tournament strongly, and the winner will become the sole leader of the group.
South Korea vs Iraq: Key Stats and Trends
- South Korea has won four of their last five matches.
- Iraq has triumphed in five of their last six games.
- The most common scoreline between the two teams is 0-0 (three times).
- South Korea wins the first half in 58% of their matches, while Iraq does so in 46%.
Our Prediction for South Korea vs Iraq
The "Taeguk Warriors" placed their trust in Klinsmann, but his winter Asian Cup campaign ended dramatically, albeit unsuccessfully. They managed to eliminate Saudi Arabia and Australia through late goals but fell 0-2 to Jordan in the semi-finals. Klinsmann was subsequently dismissed, and Son had to recover from a finger injury sustained during a locker room altercation, along with Lee Kang-in.
The "Baghdad Lions" showcased a perfect record in the group stage in Qatar, winning all three matches, but suffered a 2-3 defeat in the Round of 16 to Jordan, who went on to achieve even greater surprises.
In Korea, former captain of the bronze-winning squad at the 2002 World Cup, Hong Myung-bo, took over as head coach. However, the decisive round began with a stumble, as they failed to score against Palestine at home but later managed a 3-1 away victory against Oman, with Son’s pivotal goal coming in the 82nd minute. Iraq also won against Oman at home with a narrow 1-0 victory but faced a difficult match against neighboring Kuwait, ending in a goalless draw.
The guests welcome back Sulaka, who missed the last match due to a red card. He was absent when Hussein's lone goal secured a victory over Palestine. South Korea will be without their captain, Son Heung-min, along with Kwon Kyoo-won and Kim Moon-hwan due to injuries. Notably, experienced defender Kim Young-gwon, midfielder Jung Woo-young, prolific forward Cho from Midtjylland, and the controversial Hwang Ui-jo were not called up. Nevertheless, South Korea managed a successful revenge against Jordan, scoring once in each half for a solid win.
South Korea vs Iraq: Possible Lineups
South Korea (probable): Cho Hyun-woo – Lee Min-jae, Kim Min-jae, Jo Yu-min, Song Yun-woo – Park Yong-woo, Hwang In-beom, Lee Jae-sung, Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan – Jo Min-gyu
Iraq (probable): Hassan – Doski, Taksin, Younes, Ali – Al-Amari, Hadi, Jassim, Bayesh, Amin – Hussein
Head-to-Head Matches: South Korea vs Iraq
In ten encounters, the "Baghdad Lions" have never emerged victorious in regular time; the results are evenly split with five wins and five draws.
Free Prediction for South Korea vs Iraq
Even without Son, the hosts are clearly stronger. They should be able to defeat their main competitor with a handicap of "-1 goal" (odds – 1.76).