GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- It goes without saying, especially in the FIFA World Cup group stage where teams only have three games to seal progress to the knockout rounds, that every win matters.

But, in the case of South Korea, recent history has shown that whether they claim three points right from the start could really go a long way in determining their fortunes.

The Taegeuk Warriors have failed to get off to a winning start in the past three editions of the World Cup.

In 2014, it set the stage for their worst display since 1998 as they finished bottom of their group with that solitary point to their names.

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Four years later, consecutive defeats to Sweden and Mexico meant that even a remarkable 2-0 victory over Germany -- which eliminated the then-defending champions -- was still not enough to advance.

Granted, South Korea did make it to the round of 16 at Qatar 2022, even though they drew then lost in their two opening matches.

In reality, while the Taegeuk Warriors' spirit and endeavor deserved applause, there was also a huge element of good fortune and sheer jeopardy in the way the only got the job done with a 91st-minute winner from a counterattack against Portugal, who really shouldn't even have been in a position to lose the game.

Had it not been for captain Son Heung-Min's spirited 50-yard charge, or Hwang Hee-Chan's cool finish, the South Koreans would easily have been staring at another group-stage exit.

When they have won their opening match at the World Cup, it usually spells bodes well -- although there has also been an exception to the norm.

Their famous fourth-place finish as co-hosts in 2002 began with a victory over Poland. In 2010, the time they reached the last 16 prior to 2022, they also started in victorious fashion.

Only in 2006 did they fail to make the most of a positive start and, even then, they were unlucky after a victory over Togo was followed by an impressive draw against France, only for a final-day defeat to Switzerland to cost them by a solitary point.

Of course, the expansion of this year's World Cup to a 48-team tournament -- where eight third-placed teams can still march on to the round of 32 -- means there is more room for error.

Still, no one really wants to be in that situation where it is almost guaranteed that a massive test will await first up in the knockout stage.

Having been drawn in Group A, the only two options that await the third-placed team -- should they qualify -- is the winners of Group E or G, who -- on paper, at least -- look like likely to be Germany or Belgium.

Finishing second is actually a decent enough situation to be in given they will face the runners-up of a Group B that does not exactly have an overly frightening proposition from Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland.

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A first-place finish would undoubtedly be the best-case scenario as it will pit them against a third-placed team from Groups C, E, F, H or I, which -- again just for imagination's sake -- could realistically be Scotland, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia or Senegal.

And, the fact of the matter is given South Korea have actually found themselves in a fairly evenly contested group, aiming to finish top should not be a goal beyond them.

Although Mexico, especially with home advantage and as the highest-placed team in the world rankings at 14th, should be the favourites, it almost would not be too crazy of an upset if anyone from them, South Korea (25th), Czechia (40th) and South Africa (60th) beat another.

The average ranking between all four teams of 34.75 -- the fifth lowest among the 12 groups -- means that, while it will be keen, the competition may not be as intense as Group I, which has the highest average ranking of 26.25 from France (3rd), Senegal (15th), Norway (31st) and outliers Iraq (56th).

There is also the different in ranking between the highest and lowest-placed nations in a group to account for.

With a differential of 46 between Mexico and South Africa, Group A once again ranks as the fifth lowest.

Compare this to Group D, which many have identified as the tournament's most-competitive, where just 24 positions separate United States (17th) and Paraguay (41st) -- with Türkiye (22nd) and Australia (27th) in between.

The other end of the spectrum is hardly ideal either, like in Group C where the differential is a staggering 77 places. There are two clear heavyweights in Brazil (6th) and Morocco (7th), with Scotland (42nd) already far behind enough but Haiti way back at 83rd.

Top spot in Group A is certainly there for the taking. Even second place would not be too bad either.

To give themselves the best chance of doing either, it is needless to say that South Korea should be winning their opening game against Czechia on Thursday.

It is just that they will have to defy recent history and do what they have not achieved in 16 years now.

Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49013922/can-south-korea-overcome-their-poor-world-cup-opener-history