South Korea U20 — Ukraine U20 : Match Preview and Prediction for September 27,2025

South Korea’s Suboptimal Squad

Let’s get straight to the point. South Korea’s squad is far from its optimal configuration, to put it mildly. The team has been significantly hampered by the absence of key European-based legionnaires: Park Seung-soo from Newcastle, Yang Min-hyuk from Portsmouth, and Yoon Do-yeong from Excelsior did not receive permission from their respective clubs. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) specifically highlighted the absence of these three players, which directly indicates a considerable weakening of the national team.

Recent Form: A Troubling Trend for South Korea

While coach Lee Chang-won expresses confidence in the available players, the statistics paint a starkly different picture. The team’s recent pre-tournament friendlies reveal significant struggles: two consecutive defeats without scoring a single goal. They first suffered a 0-1 loss against Colombia, followed by a crushing 0-4 defeat to Brazil. The lack of goals and negative results are deeply concerning.

Asian Cup Woes: Conversion Issues Persist

Delving further into their performance, even their Asian Cup semi-final appearance wasn’t entirely encouraging. They lost to Saudi Arabia in a penalty shootout, despite dominating possession with 62% and registering 13 shots on goal. This inability to convert territorial and statistical advantage into goals is a significant red flag heading into the World Cup.

Ukraine’s Dominant Head-to-Head Record

Now, let’s turn our attention to their opponent. The first compelling factor is their head-to-head history. It was Ukraine who defeated South Korea 3-1 in the final of the 2019 World Cup. This significant victory, backed by gold medals, undoubtedly provides a substantial psychological advantage to the Ukrainians.

Consistent Performers: Ukraine’s Tournament Pedigree

The Ukrainian national team generally performs exceptionally well at this age level. They are not only the reigning 2019 World Champions but also a side that has consistently advanced from the group stage in all four of their previous World Cup appearances. This track record underscores a systematic approach and a proven ability to deliver results in major tournaments.

Ukraine’s Strong Recent Form and Unbeaten Streak

Ukraine’s current form further validates their quality. In stark contrast to South Korea’s recent defeats, the Ukrainian national team boasts an unbeaten streak. Victories against Norway (1-0) and Northern Ireland U21 (1-0) demonstrate their capability to secure desired results through disciplined and pragmatic play. Even a 1-1 draw with USA U19 doesn’t detract from their overall impressive run. And here’s the clincher: the Ukraine U20 team has emerged victorious in 6 of their last 7 matches.