South Korea vs Uzbekistan Predictions

South Korea vs Uzbekistan preview: Moreno’s hosts face improving White Wolves. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.

South Korea continue their transitional international break against Uzbekistan at Daejeon World Cup Stadium on Tuesday, with Robert Moreno’s side searching for greater consistency after experiencing a win, defeat and draw across their first three matches under the interim manager.

Three Punchy Stats

• South Korea have lost only five of their 26 matches across all competitions in 2026.
• Uzbekistan have scored seven goals across their last two matches, beating Iran 3-1 and Syria 4-1.
• South Korea are unbeaten in their previous nine meetings with Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan arrive in considerably stronger immediate form. Fabio Cannavaro’s team have responded to a difficult World Cup campaign by beating Iran 3-1 and Syria 4-1, giving the White Wolves an opportunity to record three consecutive victories for the first time under the Italian.

South Korea still finding their feet under Moreno

South Korea’s World Cup ended at the group stage despite beginning with a 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic. Successive 1-0 defeats against Mexico and South Africa followed, and Hong Myung-bo subsequently departed after his second spell in charge.

Moreno has been handed six matches on an interim basis and his opening three have provided contrasting evidence. South Korea produced an encouraging 3-0 victory over Ecuador, with second-half goals from Hyeon-gyu Oh, Son Heung-min and Dong-gyeong Lee, before being comprehensively beaten 4-1 by Uruguay.

Friday’s goalless draw against Venezuela at least brought greater defensive stability. That result also continued a relatively low-scoring sequence outside the Uruguay defeat, with South Korea failing to score in four of their last six matches across all competitions.

Their broader 2026 numbers remain much healthier. South Korea have recorded 15 victories, six draws and five defeats across 26 matches, scoring 52 goals while conceding 20. In seven friendlies, however, their record is more balanced at three wins, one draw and three defeats.

Son remains central to their attacking prospects. The captain has scored 10 times this season and enters this fixture one goal away from becoming South Korea’s outright leading scorer, with a potential 59th international goal coming on his 151st appearance. Lee Kang-in, meanwhile, has supplied six assists this season.

Moreno is expected to continue with the 4-4-2 shape used throughout his tenure, while Song Bum-kuen could retain his place in goal after starting against Venezuela.

Uzbekistan bring attacking momentum

Uzbekistan’s recent revival offers a sharp contrast to their World Cup experience. Defeats against Colombia, Portugal and DR Congo left Cannavaro’s team bottom of Group K after conceding 11 times and scoring only twice.

The response has been impressive. Seven goals across victories over Iran and Syria have restored attacking confidence, although defensive vulnerabilities remain: Uzbekistan have now gone seven consecutive matches without a clean sheet.

Their friendly record is marginally stronger than South Korea’s, with three wins, one draw and two defeats from six matches. Uzbekistan have averaged 1.83 goals per friendly compared with South Korea’s 1.43, while their respective expected-goals figures of 1.43 and 1.51 suggest there is little between the teams in underlying attacking output.

Eldor Shomurodov remains an obvious threat. Uzbekistan’s captain has five goals and four assists this season and could return to the starting XI after beginning the victory over Syria on the bench. Abdukodir Khusanov is expected to remain in defence, with Abduvokhid Nematov continuing in goal.

South Korea nevertheless have history firmly on their side, having avoided defeat in the previous nine meetings between these nations. Uzbekistan’s current momentum makes that record worth testing, particularly after their seven-goal burst across two matches, but the hosts’ defensive improvement against Venezuela and stronger long-term record provide a counterweight.

📊 Market Explainer

Main Tip

Win & Both Teams to Score

Selection: South Korea to win and both teams to score. The selected team must win in normal time and both teams must score. If the selected team draws or loses, or either side fails to score, the bet loses.

Correct Score Tip

Correct Score Market

Selection: South Korea vs Uzbekistan 2-1. Predict the exact score at the end of 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalties do not count unless the bookmaker states otherwise.

🎯 Pick 1: South Korea to win and both teams to score @ 13/5

South Korea to win and both teams to score fits the contrast between the hosts’ long-term consistency and Uzbekistan’s recent scoring momentum. South Korea boast 15 victories from 26 matches across all competitions, providing a solid foundation for the home win. However, Uzbekistan arrive having scored seven goals across their last two victories over Iran and Syria, giving the BTTS element genuine credibility.

The visitors’ attacking form meets a South Korean side that conceded four times against Uruguay before recording a goalless draw with Venezuela. While South Korea hold a clear historical advantage—remaining unbeaten in their previous nine meetings with Uzbekistan—the away side’s recent 3-1 and 4-1 results suggest they can contribute to the goal tally. Furthermore, Uzbekistan’s own defensive record reveals they have gone seven consecutive matches without a clean sheet. This vulnerability aligns with South Korea’s attacking capacity, highlighted by Son Heung-min’s 10 goals this season and Lee Kang-in supplying six assists.

The clearest risk to the combined market stems from South Korea’s wider scoring record, as they have failed to find the net in four of their last six matches overall. Their goalless draw against Venezuela highlights a capacity for low-scoring encounters. Nevertheless, balancing South Korea’s historical dominance and broader 15-win record against Uzbekistan’s dual pattern of scoring freely while conceding consistently leaves a home win with goals at both ends a logical prospect.

🎯 Tactical Indicators

• South Korea hold a strong long-term foundation with 15 victories from their 26 matches across all competitions.
• Uzbekistan have gone seven consecutive matches without keeping a clean sheet.
• The visitors arrive with attacking momentum, scoring seven goals across their recent victories over Iran and Syria.

Risk Factor: South Korea have failed to score in four of their last six matches across all competitions, which could undermine the combined market conditions.

⚔️ Pick 2: South Korea vs Uzbekistan 2-1 @ 13/2

A 2-1 home victory translates South Korea’s general supremacy into a specific scoreline that acknowledges both their overall winning habit and Uzbekistan’s recent goalscoring burst. South Korea have established a strong baseline by securing 15 wins across 26 matches. They possess the attacking avenues to breach the visitors, with Son Heung-min contributing 10 goals this season and Lee Kang-in supplying six assists. They face an Uzbekistan side that have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven consecutive matches, making a multiple-goal return for the hosts a realistic prospect.

On the other side of the scoreline, Uzbekistan’s recent attacking output provides the foundation for their single goal. Fabio Cannavaro’s team have scored seven times across consecutive victories against Iran and Syria, generating an expected-goals figure of 1.43 per friendly that closely mirrors South Korea’s 1.51. With Eldor Shomurodov providing five goals and four assists this term, the visitors hold enough proven output to register on the scoresheet, even against a team that recently shut out Venezuela.

The historical context supports the hosts’ advantage, with South Korea remaining unbeaten in nine previous meetings between the nations. The exact 2-1 scoreline remains highly fragile, relying on South Korea finding the net twice despite failing to score in four of their last six fixtures overall. However, balancing the hosts’ strong 26-match win rate against Uzbekistan’s simultaneous capacity to score and concede makes a narrow, both-teams-scoring home victory a coherent conclusion.