South Korea vs Bahrain Prediction: While All Eyes Stay On Heung Min Son, The Bahraini Stay Optimistic

Group E of the AFC Asian Cup starts with a thrilling match between the South Korean Reds and Bahraini Muharabi Dilmun. South Korea is in remarkable form, in sharp contrast to Bahrain, which has suffered two defeats across national team games, denting its confidence. Previous encounters between the sides reveal that South Korea has won three out of the last five pairings, with one win for Bahrain and one draw. The Asian Tigers are the clear favourites to win this contest, and Bahrain will have to put up a fierce fight to turn the tables, even though the odds are not in their favour.

South Korea

FIFA Ranking: 26th

Recent Form: W-W-W-W-W

With a squad brimming with star players, from the backlines to the frontlines, the Tigers of Asia are the top favourites to clinch the silverware this season. Having won two AFC titles in the past, they are well-equipped to take on any challenge that comes their way. The Red Devils, the team's ardent supporters, are confident that the team's captain, Heung Min Son, Tottenham's talismanic midfielder and wingman, and Hwang Hee-Chan of Wolverhampton, will lead the charge to surpass their near-miss in 2015 when they lost to Australia in extra time. With the likes of Bayern Munich's Kim Min Jae and Paris Saint Germain's Lee Kang In, the team's defence is impenetrable, while Al Shabab's Kim Seung Gyu is a formidable force between the goalposts. They recently thrashed China 3-0 and secured a 1-0 win against Iraq, establishing themselves as an unbeatable team. The odds ahead of their next game favour a win for South Korea, and it is widely speculated that this could be their year, ending their long wait for glory.

Bahrain

FIFA Ranking: 86th

Recent Form: L-L-W-W-W

Bahrain has left an indelible mark on the AFC, having participated in the AFC Champions Cup several times. In their first appearance in 2004, they impressed everyone by holding on against the mighty hosts, China, Indonesia, and Qatar, and reaching the quarterfinals, before losing out in third place to Iran. Although the team crashed out of the group stage in 2007 and 2011, they showed great spirit in their games. In 2015, the team faced a setback, but in 2019, they once again demonstrated their prowess by advancing from the group stage and making it to the round of sixteen. Despite not having attempted a World Cup qualification, Bahrain has a lot to be proud of, including winning the WAFF championship and the Gulf Cup in recent times.

H2H ANALYSIS

• South Korea are unbeaten in six recent games across all national competitions.
• There have been four cases on BTTS between the sides in five recent games.
• South Korea has scored an average of two goals per game in the last four matches against Bahrain.
• South Korea recently lost one game against Bahrain despite winning three and holding a stalemate.

Expert Betting Tips

Though Bahrain cannot be taken lightly, South Korea's dominance is undeniable. The odds heavily favour a South Korean victory, particularly with their abundant European talent.

• Our initial prediction for this game will be for the total goals to be greater than two. Bet On Over 2.5 Match goals at 1.69 odds from 1xbet.
• Betway's irresistible offer of Korea scoring in both halves at odds of 1.81 demands our attention.
• Lastly, we strongly predict that goals will be scored from both sides. You can get 2.62 odds for this bet on Bet365.

Good Luck!