12 June 2026, Zapopan, Mexico — South Korea staged a dramatic second-half comeback to defeat Czechia 2-1 in their World Cup 2026 Group A opener at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara. Captain Son Heung-min endured a frustrating night — missing multiple chances before being substituted in the 69th minute — but it was his replacement, Oh Hyeon-gyu, who struck the 80th-minute winner.
First Half: Son Wastes Chances, Stalemate
South Korea controlled the early possession but lacked cutting edge in the final third. Lee Kang-in fired a long-range effort in the 14th minute that was well saved by goalkeeper Matěj Kovář. Son Heung-min had the best chance of the half in the 38th minute, cutting inside from the left and curling a left-footed shot just wide of the near post. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Son found himself with the ball in the box but failed to connect cleanly with his right foot, and the chance went begging. Czechia offered little going forward, and the teams went into the break at 0-0.
Second Half: Czechia Strike First, Korea Respond
South Korea came out with renewed intensity after the interval. Lee Jae-sung saw his low shot across goal saved by Kovář in the 48th minute. Seven minutes later, Son Heung-min was presented with a one-on-one opportunity after a brilliant first-time pass from Lee Jae-sung, but his left-footed effort was again denied by Kovář.
Then, against the run of play, Czechia took the lead. In the 58th minute, Vladimír Coufal launched a long throw-in from the right flank, and captain Ladislav Krejčí rose highest to head the ball past Kim Seung-gyu — 1-0 to Czechia.
South Korea refused to buckle. In the 66th minute, Hwang In-beom intercepted a loose ball in midfield, drove forward, beat the goalkeeper and a recovering defender with a deft touch, and chipped the ball into the net for a stunning equaliser.
The defining moment came in the 69th minute when manager Hong Myung-bo made the bold call to withdraw Son Heung-min and send on Oh Hyeon-gyu. Czechia thought they had retaken the lead in the 76th minute when a header from a cross found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Then, in the 80th minute, Hwang In-beom turned provider. His pass found Oh Hyeon-gyu in the box, and the substitute finished coolly to complete the comeback — 2-1 to South Korea.
Late Drama: Korea Hold On
Czechia threw everything forward in the dying minutes. In the 82nd minute, a long throw-in caused chaos in the Korean box, and Adam Hložek’s close-range rebound was cleared off the line by Kim Seung-gyu. In the third minute of stoppage time, a defensive error gave Czechia one last opening — a low curling shot from the edge of the box — but Kim Seung-gyu was equal to it once again. After six minutes of added time, the final whistle blew.
Son’s Difficult Night
For Son Heung-min, this was a night to forget. Expected to be the talisman in what is likely his final World Cup, the Tottenham legend missed three clear chances and was visibly dejected as he walked off the pitch in the 69th minute. The decision to replace him proved inspired — Oh Hyeon-gyu, the man who took his place, scored the winner.
Group A Standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 2 | South Korea | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | Czechia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | South Africa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
Upcoming Fixtures
- 18 June: Czechia vs South Africa (Group A, Atlanta)
- 19 June: Mexico vs South Korea (Group A, Guadalajara)
Sources: World Soccer Talk, USA Today, News18, FIFA Official