"First Match Against Czech Republic Has Strong Winning Potential... Advantages in Experience, Psychological Warfare, and High-Altitude Adaptation"

KBS Commentator Lee Young-pyo, a former national team 'legend' [Photo by Oh Myung-eon] 

 "The probability of finishing second in the group is quite high. If that happens, it's a very good start."

Lee Young-pyo, a former national team 'legend' and KBS commentator, known as 'Octopus Young-pyo' for his sharp analysis and accurate predictions since starting as a commentator in 2014, assessed the landscape of the 2026 North and Central American World Cup group stage in this manner.

On the 8th (local time), at the national team's training ground in Chivas Valle Verde, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico, Lee stated, "The most realistic scenario is that Mexico, with their recent performance, home advantage, and one-sided support, will take first place in Group A," predicting that South Korea would follow in second place.

Lee identified 'winning the first match' as the key to an easier passage through the group stage.

He emphasized, "Winning 3 points in the first game will determine 80-90% of the team's performance. If our players perform to their fullest potential, we have a strong chance of winning," he stressed.

South Korea National Team Training (Zapopan [Jalisco, Mexico]=Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Jae-goo = Players of the South Korean national football team, participating in the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, are training at Chivas Valle Verde in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 8th (local time). 2026.6.9 jjaeck9@yna.co.kr

The South Korean team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, will play their first group stage match against the Czech Republic at the Guadalajara Stadium on the 12th at 11 AM Korean time.

The day of the decisive match is just three days away.

Lee analyzed, "If we don't win the first game, the pressure will increase sequentially from the second match onwards. The Czech Republic, who are essentially our rivals for second place, will be in a similar situation to us."

He predicted an advantage for South Korea in psychological warfare.

He stated, "Overcoming pressure is also a skill. The Czech Republic has reached the World Cup finals for the first time in 20 years, and most of their players are making their debut. However, we have much more experience. In that regard, we will have a psychological advantage."

He also evaluated the efforts made by Hong Myung-bo's team to adapt to the high altitude as a positive factor.

South Korea National Team Training (Zapopan [Jalisco, Mexico]=Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Jae-goo = Players of the South Korean national football team, participating in the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, are training at Chivas Valle Verde in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 8th (local time). 2026.6.9 jjaeck9@yna.co.kr

Unlike the South Korean team, which set up a pre-camp in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, to train at high altitude, the Czech team will train in Texas, USA, and will only enter Mexico the day before the match.

Lee explained, "Adapting to high altitude is important not only for cardiovascular function but also for getting used to the local environment. I touched the training ground earlier, and the turf is quite hard, and there's also the variable of heavy rain making it muddy. Our players, who started training here early, will have an advantage in this aspect as well."

However, he pointed out the Czech Republic's set pieces and aerial prowess as threats to be wary of.

Lee diagnosed, "The Czech Republic has formidable aerial dominance from corner kicks and free kicks, so we need to minimize set-piece opportunities. How central defenders Kim Min-jae and Lee Han-beom deal with the opponent's crosses is also crucial."

Coach Hong Myung-bo Lost in Thought (Zapopan [Jalisco, Mexico]=Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Jae-goo = Coach Hong Myung-bo of the South Korean national football team, participating in the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, is seen lost in thought during team training at Chivas Valle Verde in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 7th (local time). 2026.6.8 jjaeck9@yna.co.kr

He also expressed realistic concerns about the team playing the last two warm-up matches without a fully established three-back formation or midfield combination.

He said, "Usually, teams field their starting lineup (best 11) in pre-World Cup warm-up matches to solidify their teamwork. However, we tested various combinations until the very end. It is somewhat true that we are concerned about whether our chemistry will be perfect for the crucial first match."

Nevertheless, he showed confidence in Coach Hong's decisions.

Lee added, "The reason for experimenting with various combinations in the warm-up matches must be that the coaching staff had their own convictions. I believe they made that decision because they were confident that there would be no problems with the performance in the main tournament even with changes in the player lineup." (Yonhap News)

South Korea National Team Training (Zapopan [Jalisco, Mexico]=Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Jae-goo = Players of the South Korean national football team, participating in the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, are training at Chivas Valle Verde in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 8th (local time). 2026.6.9 jjaeck9@yna.co.kr