South Korea rallies to beat Czech Republic 2-1 in World Cup 2026 Group A opener

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Hwang In-beom scored a goal and set up another as South Korea rallied to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in the second match of the 2026 World Cup on Thursday night. After a lackluster first half in which both teams were jeered as they left the field, the Czech Republic took the lead in the 59th minute on a header by captain Ladislav Krejci after a long throw-in into the penalty area. South Korea equalized in the 67th, when Hwang scored after faking a shot with a nifty move to clear two Czech players. The midfielder who […]...Keep on reading: FIFA World Cup 2026: South Korea beats Czech Republic in Mexico

Czechia suffered a 2-1 defeat to South Korea in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico on Thursday, despite taking the lead midway through the second half. Ladislav Krejčí appeared to have put the Czechs on course for a positive start when he headed home in the 59th minute at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan. Vladimir Coufal’s long throw found the unmarked defender inside the six-yard box, and Krejčí made no mistake with Czechia’s first shot on target of the match. The advantage lasted only eight minutes. South Korea equalised through Hwang In-beom, who was played through by Lee Kang-in before calmly lifting the ball over goalkeeper Matěj Kovář after cutting inside the Czech defence. Czechia thought they had regained the lead in the 77th minute when Tomáš Souček headed into the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review. The missed opportunity proved costly. Just three minutes later, Hwang turned provider, delivering a cross from the right that substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu converted from close range to give Korea a 2-1 lead. The Czech side pushed for a late equaliser, creating several dangerous moments in the closing stages. Adam Hložek came close... The post Czechia Loses 2-1 to South Korea in World Cup Opener appeared first on Prague Morning.

Zapopan: South Korea came from behind to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in a thrilling Group A clash at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Friday, earning a valuable three points at Estadio Akron in Mexico's Zapopan.Korea Republic beat European opposition for the third consecutive time at the World Cup to kickstart their 2026 campaign 2026: Czechia 2-12022: Portugal 2-12018: Germany 2-0 pic.twitter.com/T2SyvN2qPQ— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 12, 2026 Early chances for South KoreaThe Taegeuk Warriors were the brighter side from the outset and created better chances during the opening stages. Lee Han-beom went close to breaking the deadlock when his header flashed narrowly over the crossbar, while Lee Kang-in forced Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar into a smart save with a powerful long-range effort.Guadalajara belongs to South Korea tonight The Taeguk Warriors come from behind to defeat Czechia 2-1 in their #WorldCup opener. ⚽ pic.twitter.com/OQDpelQ0Gi— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 12, 2026 The Czech Republic gradually settled into the contest and nearly struck from a set piece, but captain Tomas Soucek fired wide after finding space inside the area. Despite South Korea's attacking intent, clear-cut opportunities remained scarce before the interval.South Korea 2-1 CzechiaLadislav Krejcí scores Czechia‘s first World Cup goal in nearly 20 years Pavel Šulc's shirt ripped in the first halfKim Seung-gyu saves brilliantly from Hlozek.Look at what it means to South Korea pic.twitter.com/gmUjrnJuCT— Lilian Chan (@bestgug) June 12, 2026 Son Heung-min came closest when he surged forward on a promising run, only to drag his effort wide in the 39th minute as the teams went into halftime level at 0-0.Second-half surge from South KoreaSouth Korea resumed on the front foot after the break and repeatedly tested Kovar. The goalkeeper produced important saves to deny Hwang In-beom, Lee Jae-sung and Son, keeping the European side in the match.What a goal from South Korea pic.twitter.com/Wy6SUUxKOf— MR.MARFO‼️ (@iamMrMarfo1) June 12, 2026 Those missed opportunities appeared costly when the Czech Republic opened the scoring just before the hour mark. Vladimir Coufal launched a long throw into the penalty area, and captain Ladislav Krejci rose highest to head home, beating Kim Seung-gyu for his sixth international goal.However, the Czech lead lasted only a matter of minutes. South Korea responded strongly, with Hwang In-beom finishing calmly midway through the second half to restore parity and set up a tense finale.Late drama seals South Korea winThe Czechs thought they had regained the advantage when Soucek headed into the net, but celebrations were cut short by an offside flag. South Korea then delivered the decisive blow in the closing stages. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu latched onto an excellent pass from Hwang and converted from close range to complete the turnaround.Coreia do Sul 2x1 Tchéquia⚽️ Hyeon-Gyu Oh In-Beom Hwang Copa do Mundo | 1ª rodada | Grupo A pic.twitter.com/uxwsPwYPLb— Bruxo (@_Bruxo66_) June 12, 2026 Czech Republic with their first goal of the tournament ️ Fifaworldcup2026 pic.twitter.com/mD2M92V9VC— Football Vault (@footballvault7) June 12, 2026 The Czech Republic pushed hard for an equaliser, but Kim produced a crucial save to deny substitute Adam Hlozek late on.South Korea held firm to secure victory and move into a strong position ahead of their next Group A encounter against co-hosts Mexico, while the Czech Republic will look to bounce back against South Africa.(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)