South Korea vs Malaysia AFC Asian Cup: Preview, Prediction and Odds

In the upcoming Asian Cup match, South Korea have the opportunity to confirm their spot in the round of 16 as they take on Malaysia at Al Janoub Stadium on Thursday. 

After a 2-2 draw with Jordan during their second match, South Korea currently holds the second position in Group E with four points. On the other hand, Malaysia have already been eliminated from the tournament after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Bahrain.

South Korea vs Malaysia Match Preview

South Korea’s journey in the Asian Cup took an unexpected turn on matchday two when they secured a crucial point with a stoppage-time own goal. This has positioned them favourably for advancement, currently holding a one-point lead over Bahrain for the second spot. Their opponent, Malaysia, is ranked 107 places below South Korea’s impressive #23 FIFA ranking.

With a positive goal differential of +2, even a loss in this fixture might secure South Korea one of the four available third-place spots. Jurgen Klinsmann’s team is currently on a 10-match unbeaten streak in all competitions and hasn’t lost an Asian Cup group game since 2007 (2-1 to Bahrain). While their defense has been a bit shaky in the current tournament, conceding three goals in the group phase, their overall form remains formidable.

A potential challenge for South Korea lies in the outcome of the match between Jordan and Bahrain; a Jordan victory could mark the first time since 2011 that the Tigers of Asia failed to win their group.

On the other hand, Malaysia, despite heading into the tournament in decent form with a three-match unbeaten run, have faced setbacks in the Asian Cup. Their defensive performance improved in the last match against Jordan, but a late goal condemned them to defeat. Looking ahead, Kim Pan-gon’s team can focus on 2026 World Cup qualifying, where they currently lead their group with maximum points from two fixtures.

Malaysia’s struggles in the Asian Cup are evident, having not won a group fixture since 1980 and failing to score in five group-stage matches this century. Their historical record against South Korea is also challenging, with the last victory dating back to March 1985 in a World Cup qualifier (1-0), marking the last time they scored against the Tigers of Asia.

Team News

South Korea faces a setback as goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu is ruled out for the remainder of the tournament due to a torn ACL suffered during training ahead of the match with Jordan. Jo Hyeon-woo has taken his place since matchday two. Additionally, Hwang Hee-chan was sidelined with a hip injury.

In terms of player milestones, Kim Young-gwon, with 105 caps, is closing in on Park Sung-hwa’s tenth record, while Lee Jae-sung has reached 80 caps, and Kim Jin-su is one appearance away from reaching 70.

Captain Son Heung-min netted his 42nd goal for the national team from the penalty spot on matchday two. The match ended in a 2-2 draw against Jordan, featuring an own goal from Park Yong-woo and a second-half own-goal from Yazan Al-Arab.

Meanwhile, Malaysia made significant changes to their lineup on matchday two, with Shahrul Saad, Dominic Tan, Syamer Kutty Abba, and Paulo Josue entering the starting lineup. This saw Junior Eldstal, Afiq Fazail, Darren Lok, and Romel Morales stepping out.

Natxo Insa and Morales earned their second caps for the national team in the recent fixtures. Malaysia’s captain, Matthew Davies, is on the verge of reaching 50 caps.

Goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi has faced a challenging group stage, conceding five goals in two matches, including three efforts on target in their narrow defeat to Bahrain. The defensive performance will be crucial for Malaysia in their upcoming clash against South Korea.

Predicted Lineups

South Korea’s possible starting lineup:

Hyeon-woo; Young-woo, Seung-hyun, Min-jae, Jin-su; Kang-in, Jin-seop, Woo-yeong, Jae-sung; Hyeon-gyu, Heung-min

Malaysia’s possible starting lineup:

Hazmi; Davies, Tan, Cools, Eldstal, Corbin-Ong; Fazail, Gan, Halim; Morales, Lok

Head to Head

These are the previous 5 meetings between South Korea and Malaysia

• Date: 03.10.2002: Asian Games 2002, Group A: Malaysia 0-4 South Korea
• Date: 16.08.1992: Friendly Internationals 1992: Malaysia 2:1 South Korea
• Date: 14.08.1992: Friendly Internationals 1992: South Korea 1-0 Malaysia 
• Date: 05.06.1989: World Cup 1990, Qualifiers: South Korea 3:0 Malaysia
• Date: 27.05.1989: World Cup 1990, Qualifiers: Malaysia 0-3 South Korea.

The recent match against Jordan did not unfold as planned for South Korea, and they will be eager to rebound strongly against Malaysia. The frustration from the previous game is likely to fuel a proactive approach from the Koreans, who are considered one of the favourites in the tournament.

Jurgen Klinsmann, the coach, will be emphasizing the need for a convincing victory, and South Korea is expected to come out aggressively against Malaysia. Securing a commanding win is crucial for Korea to establish momentum heading into the Round of 16, and they’ll likely aim to assert dominance from the outset.

South Korea 3-0 Malaysia

Betting Tips and Odds

• Tip 1: Win South Korea
• Tip 2: Total goals Over 2.5+
• Tip 3 Both teams to score No
  
• The highest odds on South Korea are currently 1.16 by 1xBet
• The highest odds on the Draw are currently 7.80 by 1xBet
• The highest odds on Malaysia are currently 17.0 by FezBet

Where to watch South Korea vs Malaysia

To catch the South Korea vs. Malaysia match in the Asian Cup, viewers have several options based on their location:

United States:

CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, and FuboTV are the platforms broadcasting the Asian Cup. Paramount+ and FuboTV are available in the United States, providing American audiences with multiple options to watch the competition.

United Kingdom:

Triller TV is the designated platform for viewers in the UK to tune in and watch all the matches of the tournament.

Viewers in South Korea and Malaysia can watch live telecasts by using a VPN service to access CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, FuboTV, or Triller TV from anywhere in the world.

Viewers need to check the local availability of these platforms and consider using a VPN service if needed to access the live broadcasts.