South Korea mounted a strong second-half comeback to defeat Czechia 2-1 in their opening FIFA World Cup Group A encounter at Estadio Guadalajara, with goals from Hwang In-beom and substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu securing all three points.
The match highlighted a clear contrast in playing styles, as South Korea dominated possession and controlled much of the game, while Czechia relied heavily on set-piece situations. Despite facing sustained pressure, the Europeans broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when Ladislav Krejci rose highest to head home from Vladimir Coufal’s long throw.
However, Czechia’s advantage proved short-lived. Just eight minutes later, South Korea restored parity through a moment of quality involving two of their standout performers. Lee Kang-in delivered an excellent pass to Hwang In-beom, who calmly controlled the ball before producing a composed finish past goalkeeper Matej Kovar.
After Tomas Soucek had a goal ruled out for offside, South Korea capitalised on the reprieve. With 10 minutes remaining, Hwang turned provider, delivering a precise cross that substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu converted into the bottom corner to complete the turnaround and move South Korea level on points with hosts Mexico at the top of Group A.
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South Korea looked the more assured side from the opening whistle, controlling possession and creating the better opportunities throughout the first half. Lee Kang-in tested Kovar from distance early on, while Son Heung-min became increasingly influential as the half progressed, though he was unable to convert his chances.
The South Koreans maintained their attacking intensity after the break. Kovar produced several important saves, denying Hwang and Lee Jae-sung before making an impressive stop to keep out Son. Yet Czechia struck against the run of play through Krejci’s powerful header from a long throw.
South Korea’s response was immediate and impressive. Lee Kang-in’s clever pass found Hwang inside the penalty area, and the Feyenoord midfielder displayed excellent composure by beating Kovar with a drag-back before curling his effort into the far corner.
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Czechia thought they had regained the lead when Soucek headed in a free-kick delivery from Michal Sadilek, but the effort was ruled out for offside. South Korea then made the most of their second chance, with Oh finishing Hwang’s cross to seal victory.
The Czechs pushed for a late equaliser and came close through another long throw situation, but goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu produced a crucial save to deny Adam Hlozek and preserve South Korea’s lead until the final whistle.
Although both teams lined up in a 3-4-3 formation, their tactical approaches differed significantly. Czechia’s dependence on set-pieces was evident, with Krejci’s goal becoming the first World Cup strike scored directly from a throw-in since Denmark’s Zanka achieved the feat against Croatia in 2018. Notably, seven of Czechia’s last 14 World Cup goals have come via headers.
South Korea’s superior ball retention ultimately proved decisive. They enjoyed 61.7 percent possession and generated 1.84 expected goals (xG), compared to Czechia’s 0.81. Lee Kang-in was instrumental, completing all 37 of his passes, winning 10 of 14 duels, and creating three scoring opportunities.
Hwang In-beom’s goal and assist performance also placed him in distinguished company, becoming only the third South Korean player to achieve the feat in a World Cup match after Choi Soon-ho in 1986 and current head coach Hong Myung-bo in 1994.
Meanwhile, match-winner Oh Hyeon-gyu became the eighth South Korean player to score on his World Cup debut and the fifth to do so after coming off the bench.