World Cup 2022 Uruguay vs. South Korea start time, betting odds, lines: Top expert picks, FIFA predictions
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is off and running and Group H play will begin on Thursday when Uruguay takes on South Korea. Uruguay is a two-time World Cup champion (1930 and 1950) and with world-class striker Luis Suarez leading the way, it's also had a lot of recent success with a fourth-place finish in 2010 and a quarterfinal trip in 2018. Meanwhile, South Korea is led by Tottenham winger Son Heung-min and has qualified for the 10th cycle in a row. However, South Korea has only made it out of the group stage twice in its previous nine tries.
Kickoff is at 8 a.m. ET. The Uruguayans are the -130 favorite (risk $130 to win $100) in the latest Uruguay vs. South Korea odds from Caesars Sportsbook, with the Koreans the +400 underdog. A draw is priced at +240 and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you lock in your South Korea vs. Uruguay picks or World Cup 2022 predictions, be sure to check out the best bets and analysis from SportsLine soccer expert Brandt Sutton.
Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine's top soccer editor for more than five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Sutton has also been on a roll with his best bets, going 151-114-1 over his last 266 soccer picks this year, returning more than $2,300 for $100 bettors.
Now, Sutton has broken down the Uruguay vs. South Korea matchup from all sides and just locked in his 2022 World Cup picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for South Korea vs. Uruguay:
• URU: Fede Valverde has six goals in 14 La Liga matches this season.
• KOR: The Koreans allowed just three goals in 10 matches in qualifying, the best of the group.
• Uruguay vs. South Korea picks: See picks here
Why you should back Uruguay
The Uruguayans qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup by finishing third in CONMEBOL behind soccer superpowers Brazil and Argentina. The squad is led up front by a pair of incredibly crafty goal scorers in Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. Suarez is the country's all-time leading goal scorer with 68 in 134 caps, while Cavani has 58 goals in 133 international appearances.
Meanwhile, captain Diego Godin's 159 caps are the most in the nation's history and that trio makes Uruguay a tough out in Group H. They have seven wins, one loss and one draw thus far in 2022 and are currently ranked 14th in the FIFA World Rankings while South Korea checks in at No. 28. Suarez, Cavani and Godin were all regulars on the 2010 fourth-place team and the 2011 Copa America winners and that experience could give them an edge on Thursday.
Why you should back South Korea
The Koreans have a world-class forward in Son Heung-min. The 30-year-old who plays for Tottenham is the captain and undisputed leader for South Korea. He is clinical in front of goal, equally capable with both feet and also superb on set-pieces.
In addition, the Koreans have a solid defensive pairing in Kim Min-jae and Kim Young-gwon. The former, who plays for Napoli, won Serie A's Player of the Month award in September. The latter also has thrived at the club level this season, helping Ulsan win their first league trophy in 17 years. The pair helped South Korea concede just three goals in 10 matches during qualifying, the best of any team in the group.
How to make South Korea vs. Uruguay picks
Sutton has analyzed the Uruguay vs. South Korea match from all sides, and he has released his confident best bet and has a full breakdown of the match. He's only sharing those 2022 World Cup picks here.
So who wins Uruguay vs. South Korea? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for South Korea vs. Uruguay, all from the soccer expert who is up more than $2,300 on his soccer picks in 2022, and find out.
