South Korea 2–1 Czechia: Hwang In-beom Stars and Oh Hyeon-gyu Seals It as Taegeuk Warriors Begin World Cup in Style

South Korea overcame a first-half deficit to beat Czechia 2–1 in their opening Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Guadalajara completing a confident comeback that showcased precisely why this squad, coached by legend Hong Myung-bo, arrives in North America as one of Asia’s most compelling sides. For the first time since 2010, South Korea won their opening game at the FIFA World Cup. Two goals in a remarkable 15-minute stretch turned the game on its head, and a disallowed Souček header in the 77th minute preserved the victory before substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu put the result beyond doubt.

First Half – Czechia’s Set-Piece Blueprint Holds Firm

South Korea looked the more composed side throughout a first half in which Czechia did not attempt a single shot on target. Lee Kang-in worked goalkeeper Matej Kovář from distance in the 14th minute, while Son Heung-min planted one attempt wide of the bottom-left corner before losing his footing attempting to turn Lee Jae-sung’s cross towards goal.

Czechia’s plan was clear from early on – absorb South Korea’s possession dominance and punish them from dead balls. In the UEFA qualifiers, Czechia scored 11 of their 22 goals from set-pieces, and the opener was entirely consistent with that pattern. In a game in which South Korea dominated possession, Czechia made the most of its precious few opportunities by scoring in the 58th minute through a header from Ladislav Krejčí, who flew into the box to redirect a cross from Vladimír Coufal.

The Comeback – Hwang In-beom’s Moment of Brilliance

South Korea’s response was immediate and technically stunning. Only minutes after Czechia took the lead, South Korea replaced their No. 10 striker Lee Jae-sung with Hwang Hee-chan, while Czechia simultaneously withdrew the three players who played most forward on offense.

The equaliser arrived in the 67th minute and it was genuinely special. Hwang In-beom corralled a perfect pass from Lee Kang-in, then stopped on a dime to fake out both his defender and Czechia’s goalkeeper before softly kicking in the tying goal.

The goal had historical weight attached to it. Hwang In-beom became only the third South Korea player to register both a goal and an assist in a single FIFA World Cup match, after Choi Soon-ho against Italy in 1986 and Hong Myung-bo himself who now coaches the side against Spain in 1994. There was something fitting about Hong watching his team replicate a feat he achieved on the same stage more than 30 years ago.

VAR Rescues South Korea – Then Oh Seals It

The most dramatic sequence came in a frantic 10-minute stretch that swung the match decisively. Czechia thought they had retaken the lead in the 77th minute when Tomáš Souček headed home from a Michal Sadilek free-kick, but the celebrations were immediately cut short replays confirmed Souček was offside, and the flag was correct.

South Korea made the reprieve count without delay. Hwang teed up the winner with a precise delivery, and substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu turned it into the bottom-left corner with 10 minutes to play to seal the victory. The goal was awarded after a quick VAR check confirmed it was legitimate.

Czechia still had a chance in the closing stages another Coufal throw-in almost led to a leveller, but Kim Seung-gyu sprawled across his line to block Adam Hlozek’s effort, and that was the best opening they fashioned for an equaliser.

What the Performance Revealed About Hong’s Korea

While both teams deployed 3-4-3 systems, the contrast between South Korea’s fluid possession-based approach and Czechia’s dependence on dead-ball situations could not have been more stark. The Taegeuk Warriors controlled the tempo for long stretches, recycled the ball intelligently through midfield, and created multiple openings through movement rather than direct play.

Son Heung-min who has struggled for goals in MLS this season remained central to South Korea’s attacking shape without finding the net personally, but his pressing, link-up play, and ability to pull defenders out of position was integral to the structure that set up both goals. The 33-year-old captain will be aiming to add to his tally when South Korea face the nine-man South Africa in their second group game on June 24.

Two goals in 15 minutes to overturn a one-goal deficit is the kind of collective character that separates teams that exit at the group stage from those that go deep in tournaments. South Korea demonstrated they have both.

Group A now has South Korea and Mexico level on three points apiece, with Czechia and South Africa yet to register. Mexico and South Korea meet in Guadalajara on June 18 in what is already shaping up as the group’s decisive match.

For the full Group A standings and updated fixtures, FIFA’s official World Cup hub has all match results updated live throughout the tournament.

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If Day 1 of Group A is anything to go by, June 18 between Mexico and South Korea is going to be one of the tournament’s early must-watch fixtures. Both sides have something to prove, both have momentum, and neither will want to enter the third group game needing a result.