GUADALAJARA, Mexico – In an opening Group A clash full of missed opportunities and late drama, South Korea kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup journey with a tense 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic on Thursday, as second-half substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu netted the decisive winner deep in the second half.
Tipped by many as a contender to progress from the group stage, Son Heung-min’s side controlled the tempo and carved out scoring chance after scoring chance in the opening 45 minutes, but failed to turn their dominant possession into a breakthrough. The Tottenham Hotspur winger was at the heart of most of South Korea’s attacking threat: he sent one powerful effort soaring over the crossbar early on, then produced a blistering solo run that saw him cut inside to the left, evade two tight Czech marking challenges, and drag his final attempt just wide of the post.
A far-from-sold-out stadium crowd watched as the tightly contested match turned on its head just after halftime. Against the run of play, the Czechs broke the deadlock through Ladislav Krejci, who rose unmarked at the near post to plant a powerful header beyond Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, giving his side an unexpected lead against the run of play.
South Korea’s persistent pressure finally paid off in the 67th minute, when Hwang In-beom drew level with a cleverly crafted equalizer. The midfielder faked a shot to throw off his marker and the Czech goalkeeper, before gently lifting the ball over Matej Kovar into the back of the net to level the score.
The Czech thought they had re-taken the lead shortly after, only for their effort to be ruled offside by match officials, in a call that turned the tide of the game permanently. Hwang, who had already found the back of the net, turned provider for the winner just 13 minutes before full time, delivering a pinpoint cross from the right flank that Oh slotted home cleanly to put South Korea ahead.
As the final whistle blew on a frantic final 10 minutes of play, a relieved Son Heung-min dropped to the turf in celebration, his side having secured all three points despite an hour of wasted chances. Up next for South Korea is a high-stakes clash against co-hosts Mexico on June 18, who kicked off their own campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over South Africa earlier the same day. The Czech Republic will face South Africa in Atlanta on the same matchday, looking to bounce back from their opening defeat to get their tournament back on track.