North Korea vs Kyrgyzstan prediction, H2H and probable lineups - June 5, 2025
One of the highlight clashes of the 9th round in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup will take place on Thursday at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, where North Korea will face Kyrgyzstan. Here’s a value bet on the outcome of this intriguing encounter with attractive odds.
Match preview
The North Korean national team is enduring a barren run in their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign: no wins in eight rounds and just two points on the board. The latest blow came in March — a dramatic 1-2 defeat to the UAE, where they conceded a heartbreaker in the 98th minute. Still, on neutral territory in Riyadh, the North Koreans have displayed remarkable resilience even against favorites — look no further than their spirited showings against Iran (2-3) and Uzbekistan (0-1) last November.
Mathematically, North Korea are already out of contention for the next round, but the squad consistently hits the pitch with maximum motivation — reputational stakes back home are simply too high. Bookmakers see this "home" fixture as a golden opportunity for North Korea to finally snap their winless streak and claim their first victory of the campaign.
Kyrgyzstan, meanwhile, defied expectations by toppling Qatar in the previous round (3-1), breathing new life into their battle for fourth place. However, that triumph came on home soil, whereas their away form has been disastrous — four straight defeats with a combined goal difference of 1:8.
On their travels, Kyrgyzstan have looked far less composed, even falling to Malaysia (3-4), a team that failed to reach the third stage. Yet, there’s undeniable potential in this side — especially in attack, where on their day they can trouble any favorite. The glaring issue remains inconsistency and a vulnerable defense.
Probable lineups
- North Korea: Kang, Kim, Jae-Hwan, Kwang-Hun, Cho, Ri, Kang, Kim, Chung-Song, Ri, Han
- Kyrgyzstan: Tokotaev, Mishchenko, Kichin, Kozubaev, Brausman, Jyrgalbek Uulu, Shukurov, Zarypbekov, Abdurakhmanov, Kenyebaev, Koyo
Match facts and head-to-head
- Both teams rank among the bottom three for goals conceded in the third round — a combined 31 goals shipped
- North Korea are winless in their last eight qualifiers
- Kyrgyzstan have lost all four of their away matches in this qualifying campaign
Prediction
Both sides have had a patchy campaign, but North Korea have often looked more convincing against strong opposition, even on neutral ground. Kyrgyzstan struggle away from home, and expecting a repeat of their Qatar heroics in Riyadh would be optimistic. Despite modest attacking stats, North Korea’s motivation and defensive discipline could prove decisive. Our pick: "North Korea to win with a (0) handicap" at odds of 1.75.
