Club football returns in some European countries on Saturday but there will still be plenty of attention on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. With the group stages now decided the play moves into what promises to be a dramatic knockout phase. The schedule brings armchair fans four games on Saturday with the kick-off times staggered between 09:00 GMT and noon. There’s lots to get excited about with some of the tournament’s biggest names aiming to keep their hopes alive. Keep your eyes peeled for Spain, hosts Japan and Brazil.
In this article, we focus on the match involving South Korea and Mexico. This will be a fascinating 90 minutes with extra-time and penalties available if needed. Both teams enter this tie on a great run of form and will believe they are good enough to win the game in regulation time and book their place in the semi-finals. If they can achieve that they will be within touching distance of a medal finish but there’s plenty of football to be played and the stars of South Korea and Mexico can’t afford to look beyond this tie.
This match is in the top of the bill slot, kicking off at midday and although there will be no fans in attendance, it will attract a bumper TV audience. Neither side were picked out by too many respected pundits to win the gold medal this year but they remain in the mix and that’s all that can be asked of them at this stage. Which team will grab their chance and move into the last four? Below you’ll find our preview and the match odds available.
South Korea won their group
South Korea avoided the more difficult groups and were dropped into a set that looked manageable on paper. They were strong favourites to progress to the knockout stages and the team did just that. They deserve credit though as the players got the job done in style, showing their character to grind out results. The squad isn’t packed with individual talent and there aren’t any household names for European football fans to pick out and follow but they are fit, work hard and play as a team.
They finished in pole position with six points on the board from a possible nine, leaving them two clear of runners up New Zealand who held off Romania on goal difference. Honduras proved to be the weakest team in the division and that came as a bit of a surprise to some who expected them to be a little more competitive at this level. South Korea lost their first game but bounced back to claim two wins on the bounce and move to the next round. They needed the points on the final day and got them.
A 1-0 defeat to New Zealand saw South Korea get off to a nightmare start but the players dusted themselves down and got the win they needed on matchday two when hammering Romania 4-0. That was a real show of strength and the performance was night and day from the opener. They destroyed bottom club Honduras 6-0 on Wednesday, a result that served as a statement of intent to the rest of the competition.
Mexico left it late
Mexico has a squad that looks capable of winning the gold medal in Tokyo this summer but they haven’t been nearly as convincing as fans would have hoped in their opening three games. The team was added to a pool alongside hosts Japan, France and South Africa. The locals were always going to be the dark horse of Tokyo 2020, which looks proved to be the case. Japan won three games and progressed as leaders of the set, fully deserving of the nine points on the board. They are one to watch as we head into the next stage. Mexico finished second ahead of early favourites France, who were third with just three points collected. Les Bleus had a summer to forget. The senior team were knocked out of the Euros despite starting as favourites, then the under 23s exited the Olympics at the earliest opportunity.
Mexico got their campaign off to a strong start, picking up three points in their opening group game thanks to a win over France. They hammered Les Bleus 4-1 to catch the watching world’s attention and prove they should be taken seriously as contenders for the gold medal. The match left football fans with a few questions. Were Mexico really world-beaters, or were France just poor? We got an answer of sorts when Mexico lost to Japan on matchday two. That game ended 2-1, with the result ensuring the hosts tied up the group quickly. That left the others to battle it out for second.
Mexico were last seen in action on Wednesday when getting the three points they needed thanks to a win over South Africa. That was a game most expected them to win, and they did the job with a comfortable 3-0 victory. The points gained in midweek saw them snatch second place and keep their dreams alive. There’s more to come from this Mexican side, but we must wait to see if they are good enough to go for gold. We’ll know much more of what to expect from the Mexicans at the end of this quarter-final.
South Korea v Mexico prediction
Both teams blew hot and cold during the group stages, but we can’t underestimate the achievement of South Korea and Mexico. Making it to the knockout rounds is no mean feat, and they are here on merit, thanks to hard work and effort. South Korea v Mexico looks like a 50/50 match-up on paper, and it should provide us with a thrilling match. The winner of this game will be the team that keeps their cool in defence as the pressure grows.
Tokyo 2020 odds
The pre-match betting at 22bet has South Korea priced at 3.005 with Mexico trading at 2.34, and the draw will net you 3.4.
Want to know more about the betting odds for the game? Check out the BTTS, Handicap, Teams to Win and other markets and bet on South Korea v Mexico on 22Bet!
