South Korea came from behind to defeat Czechia 2-1 in an entertaining Group A clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, with second half goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu sealing a memorable comeback victory at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico.
The match marked the first FIFA World Cup meeting between the two nations. Their previous three encounters had all come in friendly matches, with both teams recording one win each alongside a draw. South Korea’s most recent victory over Czechia came in Prague in June 2016.
South Korea started brightly and looked dangerous from the opening whistle. In the 13th minute, Lee Kang-in combined brilliantly with Lee Jae-sung before the latter laid the ball into the path of captain Son Heung-min. The Tottenham star struck first time, but Robin Hranac produced an excellent block to deny the opener.
Moments later, South Korea threatened again from a corner kick. Lee Han-beom rose highest inside the penalty area but guided his header wide of the target as Czechia struggled to cope with the pressure.
The Czechs gradually settled and nearly broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute. An inswinging corner from the right found Tomas Soucek just yards from goal. However, the midfielder failed to control the delivery and the ball bounced harmlessly wide of the near post.
South Korea continued to dominate possession and create opportunities, with Son at the heart of almost every attack. In the 38th minute, he unleashed a powerful effort from around 25 yards, but the shot flew over the crossbar.
Just one minute later, Son found space again in a similar position. He cut inside neatly and created a shooting angle, only to drag his effort comfortably wide. The move showcased South Korea’s attacking quality, although the finish failed to match the build-up.
The best chance of the first half arrived deep into stoppage time. Son played a clever pass wide to Lee Jae-sung, who delivered a dangerous low cross back into the box. The South Korean captain met it but appeared to lose his footing at the crucial moment and could not direct his effort on target.
Son dominated the first half and registered five shots before the break. However, none of them troubled Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar despite South Korea’s attacking dominance.
The second half began in similar fashion. In the 57th minute, Lee Jae-sung released Son through on goal with a perfectly weighted pass. Yet Kovar raced off his line and made a superb save to keep the scores level.
Two minutes later, Czechia punished South Korea’s missed opportunities. Vladimir Coufal launched a long throw into the penalty area, where Ladislav Krejci rose above the defence and powered a header into the net. It was a classic set piece goal, reflecting Czechia’s strength in aerial situations and leaving South Korea stunned after creating the better chances.
South Korea responded positively and finally found the breakthrough they deserved in the 67th minute. Lee Kang-in threaded a pass into Hwang In-beom, who produced a moment of pure quality. The midfielder took an exquisite touch to shift the ball onto his right foot, sent Robin Hranac the wrong way and delicately lifted his finish over Kovar. The ball floated gracefully into the net to level the scores at 1-1.
The goal shifted momentum firmly in South Korea’s favour. Shortly before the hydration break, head coach Hong Myung-bo introduced fresh legs, replacing Son Heung-min with striker Oh Hyeon-gyu.
The Czechs thought they had regained the lead in the 77th minute when Tomas Soucek headed home from a free kick and celebrated enthusiastically. However, the assistant referee had already raised his flag, and a replay confirmed the offside decision.
Just three minutes later, South Korea completed the turnaround. Hwang In-beom continued his outstanding display by bursting down the right flank and delivering a precise cross into the six yard box. Oh Hyeon-gyu timed his run perfectly and connected from close range. Although Kovar got a hand to the effort, he could not stop the ball from flying into the far corner.
Czechia pushed forward desperately in search of an equaliser. Their aerial threat remained a constant concern for South Korea, with Adam Hlozek forcing goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu into a full stretch save. Another dangerous attack almost produced a second Czech goal, but the move was ruled offside.
The biggest chance arrived in stoppage time. In the third minute of added time, Michal Sadilek met a clever pass inside the box and fired a low effort toward goal. However, Kim Seung-gyu produced a magnificent save at full stretch to preserve South Korea’s lead.
South Korea defended resolutely in the closing moments and held on for a valuable 2-1 victory. The final whistle sparked jubilant celebrations among the Korean players, while Czechia’s squad left the field visibly disappointed.
The result means South Korea join Mexico on three points in Group A following the opening round of matches. South Korea will now face Mexico next week in a crucial group stage showdown, while Czechia will look to bounce back against South Africa.
The victory also continued a familiar trend for the Koreans. Before this match, 12 of South Korea’s previous 13 FIFA World Cup goals had come in the second half, and once again they delivered when it mattered most. The Asian side arrived at the tournament unbeaten in qualification, winning 11 and drawing five of their 16 matches, with Palestine the only team they failed to defeat.
For Czechia, the defeat came despite entering the tournament with one of Europe’s strongest set piece records. They scored 11 of their 22 qualifying goals from dead ball situations, including seven from corners, while only Norway scored more headed goals during UEFA qualifying.
The match also featured a piece of World Cup history. Czechia head coach Miroslav Koubek, at 74 years and 283 days old, became the oldest manager to take charge of a World Cup match, surpassing the record set earlier in the day by South Africa coach Hugo Broos. However, the record is expected to stand for only a few days, with Curacao boss Dick Advocaat set to become the oldest World Cup coach when his side faces Germany.
