Written by Rhea Alison, Sports reporter, covering international sports since 2020

South Korea vs Czech Republic World Cup 2026 saw South Korea fight back from a goal down to beat Czech Republic 2-1 in their Group A opener on Friday, 12 June 2026 at Estadio Guadalajara. The match swung after the Czech Republic took a second-half lead, but South Korea responded through Hwang In-beom and a late winner from substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu, giving them a strong start to their World Cup campaign.

Match Summary

Czech Republic broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when captain Ladislav Krejci headed in from a Vladimir Coufal long throw. South Korea, who had controlled large parts of the game with Son Heung-min active in attack, hit back in the 67th minute as Hwang In-beom finished smartly after a quick move involving Lee Kang-in. Hwang then turned provider, setting up Oh Hyeon-gyu for a close-range finish in the 80th minute to complete the turnaround.

Late saves from Kim Seung-gyu ensured South Korea held on under pressure.

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