Opta said Wednesday that its supercomputer gave South Korea a 42.9 percent chance of beating the Czech Republic in the Group A match. The Czech Republic's chance of victory was estimated at 31.1 percent, while the probability of a draw stood at 26.0 percent.
South Korea trails the Czech Republic slightly in their head-to-head record, with one win, two draws and two losses. Their most recent meeting came in June 2016, when South Korea won 2-1 behind goals from Yoon Bit-garam and Suk Hyun-jun.
South Korea also ranks higher in FIFA's world rankings, standing at No. 25 compared with the Czech Republic's No. 40.
Son Heung-min and Cho Gue-sung are expected to lead South Korea's attack at the tournament, while Ladislav Krejci and Patrik Schick were cited as key players for the Czech Republic's offensive line.
Opta also gave South Korea a relatively favorable outlook for the group stage, projecting a 22.4 percent chance of finishing first in Group A and a 28.4 percent chance of finishing second.
The team's chances of finishing third and fourth were estimated at 26.8 percent and 22.4 percent, respectively, putting its overall probability of advancing to the round of 32 at 70.1 percent.
Host nation Mexico was seen as the strongest contender to top Group A, with a 48.0 percent chance of finishing first.
The Czech Republic was given an 18.4 percent chance of winning the group and a 64.2 percent chance of reaching the round of 32, both lower than South Korea's figures.
South Korea's broader tournament outlook also improved slightly in Opta's latest projection. Its chances of reaching the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final were estimated at 33.72 percent, 12.53 percent, 4.05 percent and 1.34 percent, respectively.
South Korea's chance of winning the tournament stood at 0.40 percent, up slightly from the previous projection.
South Korea will face the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico, at 11 a.m., Friday, Korea time.
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