South Korea mounted a spirited comeback to defeat Czechia 3-1 in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A opener at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan on Friday, despite falling behind against the run of play. Goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu sealed a winning start for the East Asian side, who dominated large stretches of the contest.

First Half: Korea Dominate, Kovar Holds Firm

South Korea controlled the early tempo but were repeatedly denied by Czech goalkeeper Kovar, who produced a sharp stop to deny Lee Kang-in's fierce left-footed drive in the 14th minute. Son Heung-min, making his fourth FIFA World Cup appearance, squandered a couple of decent openings and failed to connect with another chance deep in first-half stoppage time. Kovar thwarted Son again 11 minutes into the second period, frustrating the Korean captain at every turn.

Czechia Strike Against the Run of Play

Czechia took the lead against the run of play in the 59th minute, when captain Ladislav Krejci soared to meet a long throw from the right by Vladimir Coufal, thundering a header past a helpless Kim Seung-gyu in the Korean goal. It was a sucker-punch that belied Czechia's defensive posture throughout the half.

Korea's Turnaround: Hwang and Oh Deliver

Hwang In-beom restored parity with a composed finish in the 67th minute, cutting inside before delicately dinking the ball home after a sublime through-ball from Lee Kang-in. The momentum swung decisively Korea's way, and Oh Hyeon-gyu completed the turnaround in the 80th minute, tucking in Hwang's low cross from the right to make it 3-1.

Czechia's Late Surge Falls Short

Czechia pressed hard for a route back into the game, but the closest they came was when Adam Hlozek forced Kim Seung-gyu into a phenomenal stop in the 82nd minute. Korea held firm to claim all three points and extend a remarkable record against European opposition at the World Cup.

Historic Win and What the Coach Said

The victory marks South Korea's third consecutive World Cup win over European opposition — following a 2-1 victory over Portugal in 2022 and a 2-0 win over Germany in 2018. Head coach Hong Myung-bo praised his side's resilience after the final whistle. 'It was our first game and a very difficult one. The win itself makes me happy, but what's even more positive is that our boys won by not giving up. I knew that we were more than capable of winning, so at 1-1 I told the boys to keep playing the way we've been playing. Now, Mexico is another important match. We will spend the next week to prepare properly,' he said. Korea's next Group A fixture against Mexico looms as their next major test.