Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
South Korea launched their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory over Czechia on Thursday, overcoming a second-half deficit behind an inspired performance from midfielder Hwang In-Beom.
The Asian side looked the more dangerous team for much of the evening at Guadalajara Stadium but struggled to convert their dominance into goals. A disappointing first half, marked by missed opportunities and growing frustration among supporters, ended scoreless as both teams left the pitch to jeers from sections of the crowd.
Czechia struck first shortly after the break. Captain Ladislav Krejcí rose highest to meet a long throw-in in the 59th minute, heading home to give the Europeans the lead in their first World Cup appearance since 2006.
The goal appeared to wake up South Korea, who increased the pressure and found their equalizer eight minutes later through Hwang. The midfielder produced a moment of individual brilliance, feinting past two Czech defenders before calmly finishing to level the match.
With momentum firmly on their side, the South Koreans continued to push forward and were rewarded in the 80th minute. Hwang turned provider this time, delivering a cross from the right flank that striker Oh Hyeon-Gyu converted to complete the comeback and secure all three points.
“It was our first game and a very difficult one,” South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said after the match. “The win itself makes me happy, but what’s even more positive is that our boys won by not giving up.”
Hong revealed he encouraged his players to stay patient after the equalizer, confident they had the quality to break Czechia down.
South Korea’s victory marked their first opening-match win at a World Cup since defeating Greece in 2010. It also extended an impressive record against European opposition, following victories over Germany in 2018 and Portugal in 2022.
Led by veteran captain Son Heung-Min, South Korea dominated possession and generated the majority of the game’s scoring opportunities. Son, appearing in his fourth World Cup, came close to adding to his tally of three tournament goals but missed a first-half chance and later saw a close-range effort saved.
The Czechs briefly believed they had restored their advantage in the 77th minute when Tomás Soucek headed into the net from a set piece, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Despite the defeat, Czechia coach Miroslav Koubek acknowledged South Korea’s superiority on the night.
“Probably the better team won,” Koubek said, while insisting his side remained competitive and could have earned a different result without costly mistakes.
The announced attendance at the 45,664-capacity Guadalajara Stadium was 44,985, although noticeable pockets of empty seats remained visible throughout the venue. FIFA president Gianni Infantino was among those in attendance.
Following the final whistle, South Korea’s players celebrated with their traveling supporters behind one of the goals before posing for photographs with fans.
South Korea are making their 11th consecutive World Cup appearance and 12th overall, more than any other Asian nation. Their best result remains the historic fourth-place finish achieved on home soil in 2002.
In the other Group A match, co-hosts Mexico opened the tournament with a 2-0 victory over South Africa in Mexico City.
