GUADALAJARA, Mexico, June 12, 2026 — South Korea came from behind to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, delivering another impressive result for Asian football on the global stage.
Playing at Estadio Guadalajara, the two sides met for the first time in World Cup history in a closely contested encounter. Despite dominating possession for long periods, South Korea struggled to break through the Czech defense during a goalless first half, while the Europeans threatened with several dangerous counterattacks.
The match burst into life after the interval when Czech captain Ladislav Krejčí headed his side into the lead against the run of play, giving the returning World Cup participants a 1-0 advantage.
South Korea responded with increased attacking intensity and found the equalizer in the 68th minute through Feyenoord midfielder Hwang In-beom, who finished clinically to bring his team level.
The drama continued in the closing stages. The Czech Republic thought they had regained the lead from a free-kick in the 78th minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside, a decision that proved pivotal.
Just two minutes later, substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu capitalized on a well-worked move inside the penalty area and fired home the winner in the 80th minute, completing South Korea’s comeback.
The Koreans successfully defended their lead for the remainder of the match to claim a historic victory.
The result marks South Korea’s first-ever World Cup win over the Czech Republic and gives the Asian side a strong start to their 2026 World Cup campaign.
