South Korea began their 2026 World Cup journey on a winning note after defeating the Czech Republic 2-1 in a tense Group A encounter on Thursday, turning around a game that had threatened to slip away despite their early dominance.
South Korea controlled much of the first half but struggled to convert their chances, with captain Son Heung-min coming closest after firing over the bar and later missing a clear opening following a sharp solo run past two defenders.
Their inability to finish chances kept the Czech Republic in the contest going into the break.
The Czechs punished that wastefulness shortly after the restart when Ladislav Krejci rose at the near post to head home past goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, giving the Europeans a surprise lead against the run of play.
However, South Korea responded strongly and gradually increased pressure until Hwang In-beom restored parity in the 67th minute.
The midfielder showed composure inside the box, faking a shot before delicately lifting the ball over Czech goalkeeper Matek Kovar to bring his side level.
The momentum then swung fully in favour of South Korea, although the Czech Republic briefly thought they had regained the lead only for a goal to be ruled out for infringement.
With the match heading towards a draw, substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu delivered the decisive moment in the 80th minute, finishing off a precise cross from Hwang In-beom to complete the comeback and send the Korean fans into celebration.
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After a frantic closing stage, the final whistle confirmed South Korea’s 2-1 victory, with Son Heung-min visibly emotional as he sank to the pitch in relief and joy.
The result places South Korea in a strong position in Group A ahead of their next fixture against co-hosts Mexico, who also started their campaign with a win.
The Czech Republic will now look to recover quickly when they face South Africa in their next group match.
