South Korea launched their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on a winning note after coming from behind to defeat Czech Republic 2-1 in an entertaining Group A encounter at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico.
After a cagey first half that ended goalless, the match burst into life after the restart. Czech Republic drew first blood in the 59th minute when defender Ladislav Krejci powered home a header from a long throw-in, handing the Europeans a surprise lead.
However, the Koreans responded in impressive fashion. Midfielder Hwang In-beom restored parity in the 67th minute with a brilliant solo effort, weaving through the Czech defence before calmly finishing past the goalkeeper.
With momentum firmly on their side, South Korea completed the turnaround ten minutes from time. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu latched onto a low cross from Hwang and guided the ball into the net in the 80th minute to seal a memorable comeback victory.
The Czechs pushed forward in search of an equaliser during the closing stages, but South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu produced crucial saves, including a late stop in stoppage time, to preserve all three points for his side.
The result gives South Korea an early advantage in Group A as they already secured three valuable points in their opening match. Earlier in the group, co-hosts Mexico defeated South Africa, making the race for qualification to the knockout stage even more competitive.
For Czech Republic, who are making their first World Cup appearance in two decades, the defeat leaves them with work to do in their remaining group matches against South Africa and Mexico.
South Korea will now look to build on their strong start and strengthen their chances of reaching the Round of 32, while Czech Republic must quickly regroup to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
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