South Korea began their 2026 FIFA World Cup with a statement comeback, defeating Czechia 2-1 at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara on Thursday, June 11. After falling behind to a Ladislav Krejčí header in the 59th minute, Hong Myung-bo's side responded with two goals in 13 minutes — Hwang In-beom's clever finish at 67' and Oh Hyeon-gyu's close-range winner at 80' — to claim three precious points and set up a potential Group A decider against Mexico next week.
The result leaves South Korea level on three points with Mexico at the top of Group A after Day 1, with both Czechia and South Africa scoreless. For Heung-Min Son — likely playing in his final World Cup at 33 — it was the comeback start his team needed.
A Group A Where Every Point Counts
This was Czechia's first World Cup appearance in 20 years — a landmark return for a nation with a long, complicated football history that includes their Czechoslovakian predecessors playing (and losing) all three of their 1970 World Cup matches in Guadalajara. The Akron Stadium curse, it turns out, hasn't quite been broken: Czechia became the latest team to leave Guadalajara without points, extending Czechoslovakia/Czechia's collective record in the city to 0 wins in 4 attempts.
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Heung-Min Son led the line, looking sharper than he has in months. He fired wide in the 39th minute, missed a golden chance at 56' that Czech goalkeeper Matěj Kovář saved brilliantly, and threaded the midfield with the kind of vision that has defined his career. He didn't score. But he didn't need to.
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Krejčí Strikes Against the Run of Play
For nearly an hour, this was South Korea's game. The Taegeuk Warriors controlled possession, pressed Czechia high, and created the better chances. Son's misses were the story of the first half. Kang-In Lee dictated play from midfield. Czechia, set up to absorb pressure and counter, looked content to wait for set-piece opportunities.
They got one. In the 59th minute, Vladimír Coufal — the Hoffenheim right-back — hurled in one of his trademark long throws from the right flank. Czech captain Ladislav Krejčí steamed in at the near post, rose above the Korean defense, and powered home a header. Czechia's first effort on target. 1-0 Czechia, against the run of play.
Krejčí, a 27-year-old centre-back who plays his club football at Wolverhampton Wanderers, had been signaled as a set-piece threat in every pre-match preview. At 1.91m with the aerial dominance and physical style that made him captain of both Sparta Prague and the national side, he was always going to be dangerous from long throws. South Korea knew. Czechia still scored. That's what good set-piece teams do.
Hwang's Equalizer — The Goal That Made History
South Korea's response was immediate. Eight minutes after going behind, in the 67th minute, the equalizer came. Kang-In Lee — the Paris Saint-Germain creator — picked out a cute pass to Hwang In-beom on the edge of the box. Hwang cut inside his marker, opened his body, and clipped a deft finish inside the far post. Kovář was beaten. 1-1.
It was the kind of goal that defines a tournament: composed under pressure, technically excellent, and quietly historic. Hwang had already provided the assist that broke open the defense earlier in the move — making him only the third South Korean to record both a goal and an assist in a single World Cup match. The other two? Choi Soon-ho (1986) and Hong Myung-bo (1994). His current head coach.
Soucek Disallowed, Oh Wins It
Czechia thought they'd hit back instantly. In the 77th minute, Tomáš Souček — another West Ham midfielder — headed home from yet another Czech set-piece. The celebrations had barely started before the linesman's flag went up. Offside. The goal was disallowed. The momentum stayed with Korea.
Three minutes later, it was over. Oh Hyeon-gyu — brought on as a substitute earlier in the half — was in the right place at the right time. A loose ball fell to him in the six-yard box. He converted from close range. 2-1 Korea. The Korean fans in Guadalajara erupted.
Czechia pushed for an equalizer through the final ten minutes. The fourth official added six minutes of stoppage time. In the 93rd minute, Michal Sadílek had one last chance — a close-range effort that Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu denied with a sharp save. Moments later, the whistle blew.
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Key Match Stats
| Stat | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 🇨🇿 Czechia |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 2 (Hwang 67', Oh 80') | 1 (Krejčí 59') |
| Disallowed goals | 0 | 1 (Souček 77', offside) |
| Possession (overall feel) | Dominant | Counter / set-piece |
| Yellow cards | - | - |
Standout Performers
Hwang In-beom (South Korea) — The man of the match. A goal and an assist, joining a very exclusive club of South Korean players to record both in a single World Cup match. His equalizer was technically excellent and emotionally enormous.
Oh Hyeon-gyu (South Korea) — Came off the bench to score the winner. A textbook super-sub appearance. With Cho Gue-sung's form fluctuating, Oh may have just made a case for starting against Mexico.
Heung-Min Son (South Korea) — Didn't get on the scoresheet but ran the show. Set the tone, created chances, was unfortunate not to convert his own. Even at 33, Son's quality is undeniable. This is likely his last World Cup, and he's making it count.
Ladislav Krejčí (Czechia) — Scored a typical Krejčí goal — aerial dominance, perfect timing from a set-piece. As captain, he led from the front. The result wasn't what he wanted but his performance was everything Czech fans hoped.
Matěj Kovář (Czechia) — Several key saves, particularly the close-range stop from Son in the 56th minute. Without him, this could easily have been 3-1 or 4-1 South Korea.
Kang-In Lee (South Korea) — Brilliant pass for the equalizer. The PSG playmaker is South Korea's creative engine, and his understanding with Hwang in midfield is going to be crucial through the tournament.
Group A Standings After Day 1
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 🇨🇿 Czechia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
What's Next: A Group-Defining Week
Group A's second matchday on June 18 sets up two crucial fixtures:
- Mexico vs South Korea — June 18, Estadio Akron, Guadalajara. With both sides on three points and both having looked strong in different ways, this is effectively a group-decider. The winner likely tops Group A. A draw keeps everything possible.
- South Africa vs Czechia — June 18. Both teams need points desperately. South Africa will be without Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane through suspension after their two red cards against Mexico. Czechia will look to use their set-piece threat against a depleted Bafana Bafana defense.
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For South Korea, the comeback win against Czechia is the platform. For Heung-Min Son, this World Cup is now alive in a way that his previous tournaments never quite were. Hong Myung-bo's Korea side is one match away from the round of 32.
For Czechia, defeat is recoverable. The team played well in stretches, scored a typical Czech goal, and only fell to two clinical Korean finishes. Their next match against a 9-man-suspended South Africa is winnable. But the margin for error has narrowed significantly on Day 1.
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Featured photo: Estadio Akron, Guadalajara — HugoGN12 via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
This is the second post in our daily World Cup 2026 match recap series. Read our Day 1 opener recap: Mexico 2-0 South Africa. Check back for Day 2 coverage tomorrow.