The Korea men's national soccer team led by coach Hong Myung-bo finished the first half 0-0 against Mexico in Group A's second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America on the 19th (Korea time).
Deploying Son Heung-min (34, LA FC) as the lone striker and using a 3-4-2-1 formation, Korea targeted Mexico with a starting lineup not much different from the one against the Czech Republic.
Mexico, led by coach Javier Aguirre, lined up in a 4-3-3. With César Montes sent off in the first match and unavailable for this one, Edson Álvarez started in his place and the tactics were changed.
The two teams battled fiercely and each produced one threatening moment. In the 16th minute, Son Heung-min latched onto a through pass and tried a lob over the goalkeeper, and Álvarez cleared it with an overhead kick, but an offside ruling meant it did not count as a shot.
In the 20th minute, Julián Quiñones met Roberto Alvarado's diagonal pass with a header toward goal, but Kim Seung-gyu saved.
Afterward, Korea increased its share of possession and kept probing the space behind Mexico's back line, but repeated offsides and Mexico's stout defending prevented a decisive chance. In the 41st minute, Seol Young-woo took Korea's first shot from the left side of the penalty area, but it went wide.