Morocco U20 — South Korea U20 : Match Preview and Prediction for October 10,2025

Morocco’s Surprising Group Stage Performance

Morocco can certainly be hailed as the main revelation of this World Cup, at least during the group stage. They managed to win their group, a challenging one featuring Spain, Brazil, and Mexico.

Defying Expectations and Securing Play-off Spot

Everyone predicted the Moroccans would finish last, or at best, third. However, they not only fiercely competed in their first two matches against the Spaniards (2-0) and Brazilians (2-1) but even managed to defeat them. This secured their play-off spot after those impressive games. In their final group match, they suffered a defeat against Mexico, but Morocco played with a partially rotated squad, having already guaranteed themselves the top position.

Key Player: Yassine Ghesim

Special mention goes to Yassine Ghesim, who contributed significantly with four (1 goal + 3 assists) goal involvements in just three appearances.

Pre-Tournament Struggles for South Korea

South Korea had a disappointing run in their friendly matches leading up to the World Cup, suffering three defeats: against Colombia (0-1), Brazil (0-4), and Chile (1-2).

Challenging Group Stage and Progression to Knockouts

Naturally, no one considered the Koreans contenders for high honors, but they were expected to advance from their group. The group itself was quite competitive, with Ukraine, Panama, and Paraguay as opponents. However, the Asian side finished only third, securing their spot in the knockout stages as one of the four best third-placed teams. South Korea initially lost to Ukraine (1-2), then drew with Paraguay (0-0), and managed a narrow victory over Panama (2-1).

Defensive Vulnerabilities Highlighted

Defense stands out as the Koreans’ most vulnerable area, a fact clearly demonstrated in both their friendly matches and the World Cup itself. Across six combined games, they conceded a concerning ten goals.