South Korea kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in impressive fashion with a hard-fought 2-1 comeback win over the Czech Republic in their Group A opener at Guadalajara Stadium.
Despite controlling much of the possession throughout the match, South Korea found themselves trailing when Czech Republic captain Ladislav Krejčí headed home from a long throw-in delivered by Vladimír Coufal in the 59th minute.
The setback sparked an immediate response from the Asian side, who intensified their attacking efforts in search of an equaliser.
Their persistence paid off in the 67th minute when Hwang In-beom received a pass from Lee Kang-in, maneuvered past two defenders and calmly curled a low shot beyond the goalkeeper to bring South Korea level.
The Czech Republic appeared to have regained the advantage in the 77th minute after Tomas Soucek found the back of the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a review.
With momentum firmly on their side, South Korea completed the comeback just three minutes later. Hwang In-beom raced down the right wing and delivered a precise low cross that substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu converted from close range to secure the winner.
The result sees South Korea begin their World Cup journey with three valuable points, drawing level with co-host nation Mexico at the top of Group A. Meanwhile, the Czech Republic faces increased pressure as they seek to keep their qualification hopes alive in their first World Cup appearance in two decades.
