Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the winner eight minutes after replacing a wasteful Son, as the Taegeuk Warriors overturned Ladislav Krejčí’s first-half header in Guadalajara
South Korea opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic at the Estadio Guadalajara, recovering from a second-half deficit after captain Son Heung-min was substituted following a string of missed chances.
The first half ended scoreless despite South Korea dominating possession and creating eight shots to the Czech Republic’s two. Son, the Tottenham forward, struggled with his finishing throughout, missing six significant chances before his night ended in the 69th minute.
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The deadlock was broken in the 59th minute when Czech captain Ladislav Krejčí forcefully headed home a long throw-in from Vladimír Coufal, sparking celebrations among the European side’s supporters.
South Korea responded eight minutes later. Lee Kang-in found Hwang In-beom, who beautifully controlled the pass, paused to switch feet, and scooped the ball into an unguarded net to level the score.
The Czech Republic thought they had regained the lead in the 77th minute when Tomáš Souček headed home from a free kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Three minutes later, South Korea struck the winner. Hwang In-beom turned provider, delivering a superb cross that substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu crashed into the far corner. Oh had entered in the 69th minute, replacing the wasteful Son.
South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu preserved the win with a massive full-stretch save to deny Michal Sadílek in stoppage time, ensuring the Taegeuk Warriors started Group A with three points.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, the result puts South Korea level on three points with Mexico, who defeated South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener. The Czech Republic and South Africa remain without points. South Korea will next face Mexico, while the Czech Republic will look to recover against South Africa.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on June 12, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
