GUADALAJARA, Mexico: South Korea staged a dramatic comeback to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in their FIFA World Cup Group A opener on Thursday. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the decisive goal in the 80th minute, securing a vital three points for the Asian side.
Despite dominating much of the match, Korea captain Son Heung-Min struggled to convert several clear opportunities. The Czech Republic capitalized on a rare chance in the 59th minute when Ladislav Krejci headed home from a long throw-in, breaking the run of play.
South Korea responded immediately. Eight minutes later, Hwang In-Beom restored parity with a delicate chip over the goalkeeper. The momentum shifted further when Tomas Soucek’s header from a free kick was disallowed for offside in the 77th minute.
With time running out, Hwang In-Beom provided the assist for Oh Hyeon-gyu, who finished from close range to complete the turnaround. The victory sets up a crucial next-round clash against host nation Mexico in Guadalajara next Thursday.
The Czech Republic now faces a must-win scenario as they prepare to take on South Africa in Atlanta. Meanwhile, co-hosts Mexico currently lead Group A following their 2-0 victory over South Africa.