World Cup: Hwang In-beom fires South Korea to 2-1 victory over Czech Republic

South Korea came from behind to secure a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in their FIFA World Cup Group A opener in Guadalajara on Thursday, with Hwang In-beom scoring a goal and an assist in a game that turned dramatically in the final half hour.

The Koreans were the better team for most of the game but looked set to rue a string of missed opportunities before two quick moments of quality turned the game on its head to hand them all three points.

FIFA WORLD CUP 2026, SOUTH KOREA VS CZECH REPUBLIC: MAIN DATA

Captain Son Heung-min was at the center of South Korea’s attacking play from the start. The Tottenham forward repeatedly found space in and around the Czech penalty area and created a number of openings, but neither he nor his team-mates could find a way past the Czech defense in a first half dominated by the Asians.

Despite long moments without the ball, the Czech Republic remained organized and disciplined at the back. Their resistance was rewarded in the 59th minute, when captain Ladislav Krejčí put them in the lead. A long throw into the box caused problems for the South Korean defense and Krejci rose highest to send a header into the net, silencing the Korean fans at Guadalajara Stadium.

However, the lead lasted only eight minutes. South Korea equalized in the 67th minute through Hwang In-beom, who showed composure in front of goal after a pass. Spotting the keeper off his line, the midfielder lifted the ball gently over him to restore his balance and breathe life into it.

In the 77th minute, the Czech Republic thought they had found an answer when Tomáš Souček slotted home from a free kick. The midfielder left in celebration, but the joy was short-lived as the assistant referee flagged for offside, ruling out the crucial second goal.

The unauthorized effort proved costly. Just three minutes later, South Korea completed the turnaround. Hwang again played a decisive role, collecting possession from the right before pulling the ball back into the six-yard box. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu arrived at the perfect time and fired home from close range in the 80th minute to give the Koreans the lead for the first time in the game.

The assist capped off a memorable individual performance for Hwang, who became only the third South Korean player to record both a goal and an assist in a FIFA World Cup match. The previous two were Choi Soon-ho against Italy in 1986 and current South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo against Spain in 1994.

The Czech Republic pushed forward and looked for a late equalizer but South Korea held firm in the closing stages to start their campaign with a valuable win.

The result leaves South Korea level on points with co-hosts Mexico, who opened their tournament with a 2-0 win over South Africa to top Group A on goal difference. South Korea face Mexico in Guadalajara next Thursday in a clash that could have a significant bearing on group standings, while the Czech Republic will look to bounce back from their campaign against South Africa in Atlanta.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

12 Jun 2026 09:37 IST