South Korea came from behind to beat Czechia 2-1 in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Guadalajara Stadium on June 11. South Korea dominated possession and shots throughout, yet Czechia scored first — Ladislav Krejčí powering home a header from Vladimír Coufal's long throw in the 59th minute. Hwang In-beom equalised in the 67th minute with a delicate chip, assisted by Lee Kang-in. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu completed the comeback in the 80th minute, sliding in to convert Hwang's cutback. Kim Seung-gyu made a crucial late save to deny Michal Sadílek and preserve all three points. Tomáš Souček had a header ruled out for offside in the 77th minute.
Taeguk Warriors Deliver the Comeback Guadalajara Demanded
South Korea did not just win in Guadalajara. They demonstrated the character, tactical intelligence, and depth of squad that marks a team capable of going deep at a World Cup. For 59 minutes, they dominated the match without reward — 15 shots to Czechia's seven, 55% possession, wave after wave of attacks that broke like water against Czech organisation. Then Krejčí headed in from a long throw, and Guadalajara held its breath. Would it be another story of South Korean dominance punished by efficiency?
The answer came eight minutes later, in the form of Hwang In-beom's moment of absolute quality. Picking up the ball in space between the Czech lines, he waited — extraordinary composure under pressure — for the goalkeeper Matěj Kovář and the defender to both commit, then lifted a delicate chip into the far corner. A goal that would have graced any World Cup. The stadium erupted. Son Heung-min turned to his bench with fire in his eyes. Game back on.
And when Oh Hyeon-gyu — a substitute — slid in to convert Hwang's perfectly-weighted cutback in the 80th minute, South Korea were top of Group A. Kim Seung-gyu's late save from Sadílek in the 90+3rd minute — a diving stop that denied what would have been a match-altering equaliser — completed one of the most complete and composed comeback performances of the opening round of the 2026 World Cup.
Match Timeline — Every Key Moment
3
South Korea
⚡ South Korea Dominate From The Off
Son, Lee Kang-in and Hwang Impose Early Pressure
South Korea came out with pace and purpose from the very first whistle. Son Heung-min drove at Czechia's defence early, Lee Kang-in orchestrated from midfield, and Hwang In-beom pressed relentlessly. Czechia, by contrast, sat deep and looked to play direct — a tactical clash that would define the entire match. Son had a shot saved and a corner in the opening 12 minutes.
28
Czechia
⚡ Kovář Superb — Denies Son One-on-One
Golden Chance Saved — South Korea Stay Level
Son Heung-min received the ball in a golden position — one-on-one with Matěj Kovář inside the penalty area. This was the chance that should have put South Korea ahead. Kovář, to his enormous credit, stood his ground and spread himself brilliantly to make the save. Son's frustration was evident. It was a save that would look increasingly significant as the match progressed.
HT
South Korea
🔄 Half Time — 0-0
South Korea Frustrated Despite Dominance
South Korea had completely controlled the first half — more possession, more shots, more dangerous positions — yet went in level. Manager Hong Myung-bo, the former defender who himself scored and assisted in the same World Cup match against Spain in 1994, would have known exactly what his team needed from him. Son, meanwhile, had produced the most shots (five) without reward.
63
Czechia
🔄 Czechia Substitution
Chorý on · Schick off
Patrik Schick — Bayer Leverkusen's prolific striker and Czech Republic's star man — was replaced in the 63rd minute. Schick had been well-marshalled by South Korea's defence and had little impact on the game. Manager Ivan Hašek also replaced Lukáš Provod with Michal Sadílek simultaneously, looking to inject fresh energy into their attacking transitions.
63
South Korea
🔄 South Korea Substitution
Hwang Hee-chan on · Lee Jae-sung off
Hong Myung-bo responded simultaneously, bringing on Hwang Hee-chan for Lee Jae-sung — an attacking change designed to add a different dimension to South Korea's attack. The timing proved crucial in the context of what was about to happen within four minutes.
59
Czechia
⚽ Goal — South Korea 0-1 Czechia
Ladislav Krejčí
Czechia's first shot on target of the entire match — and it went in. Vladimír Coufal, playing at right wing-back, launched a long throw deep into South Korea's penalty area. Krejčí — the Czech captain — attacked the near post with pace and power, steaming in to redirect the ball emphatically into the net with a header. A sucker punch against the run of play. Czechia led, and in an instant the pressure on South Korea quadrupled. The stadium fell quiet. This was exactly the kind of goal Czech Republic had been threatening without having the ball — direct, physical, ruthless.
67
South Korea
⚽ Goal — South Korea 1-1 Czechia
Hwang In-beom
A goal of extraordinary composure. Lee Kang-in threaded a pass into space behind the Czech defensive line. Hwang In-beom ran onto it, found himself in a pocket between two Czech defenders with Kovář advancing. Any other goalkeeper might have forced a hurried finish. Hwang waited — a split second that seemed to last a minute — and when Kovář and the defender both committed, he lifted a delicate chip over both of them and into the far corner of the net. Krejčí scrambled back but could not prevent it crossing the line. Guadalajara erupted. The comeback was on. Assist: Lee Kang-in. Hwang became the third South Korean to score and assist in the same World Cup match — after Choi Soon-ho in 1986 and his current coach, Hong Myung-bo, in 1994.
77
Czechia
🚫 Souček Goal Ruled Offside
Crucial VAR Decision Goes Against Czechia
Tomáš Souček — the West Ham midfielder — rose powerfully to head home what he believed was the go-ahead goal for Czechia. The celebrations had barely begun when the offside flag went up. VAR confirmed: Souček had been marginally offside. 1-1 remained. It was the turning point of the match — within three minutes, South Korea had the lead they deserved all along.
80
South Korea
⚽ Goal — South Korea 2-1 Czechia
Oh Hyeon-gyu
The goal that completed a memorable Korean comeback. Hwang In-beom — superb all evening — received a pass and drove with purpose down the right flank, past Czechia's left-back. At the perfect moment he squared the ball across the face of goal — a cross that required only a touch to score. Oh Hyeon-gyu — on as a substitute — slid in at the near post and guided the ball past Kovář with his first meaningful action on the pitch. South Korea led. Guadalajara went wild. Assist: Hwang In-beom. Oh became the 8th South Korean to score on his World Cup debut — and the 5th to do so as a substitute.
90+3
South Korea
🧤 Kim Seung-gyu — Match-Winning Save
Sadílek Denied — South Korea Win Secured
Michal Sadílek burst through the South Korean defence in the 90+3rd minute with only Kim Seung-gyu to beat. The South Korean goalkeeper, who had been largely untroubled for most of the match, reacted with lightning speed — diving to his right and pushing Sadílek's shot wide. An outstanding save at the most critical moment. Had that gone in, Czechia would have equalised in the final seconds. Kim held his nerve. South Korea held on. Three points secured. Full time: 2-1.
Full Match Statistics
Key Statistics
Possession
55%34%
Total Shots
157
Shots on Target
64
Successful Passes
468—
Shots Inside Penalty Area
105
Stat
South Korea 🇰🇷
Czechia 🇨🇿
Goals
2
1
Scorers
Hwang 67' · Oh 80'
Krejčí 59' (1st shot on target)
Total Shots
15
7
Shots on Target
6
4
Possession
55%
34%
Successful Passes
468 (most by SKor in WC since 1966)
—
Kovář Key Save
Son 1-on-1 denied (56')
Outstanding
Kim Key Save
Sadílek 90+3' — match-winning
—
Souček Goal
Ruled offside 77' — Czechia denied what could have been a decisive goal
Historic Record
Hwang In-beom: 3rd SKor player to score & assist in WC (Choi 1986 · Hong 1994 — now head coach)
Venue
Guadalajara Stadium · Guadalajara, Mexico · June 11, 2026
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Goalkeeper Spotlight
🥅 Kim Seung-gyu — Crucial Save. Three Points Secured.
South Korea GK · Vissel Kobe
Result
W
2-1 comeback
Key Save
90+3
Denied Sadílek
Shots Faced
4
CZE shots on target
Clean Sheet
No
Krejčí 59'
Kim Seung-gyu had a relatively comfortable match until the final moments — and then delivered the save that ultimately determined the outcome. The Vissel Kobe goalkeeper had handled the pressure of Czechia's direct approach competently throughout, barely tested in the first half and growing increasingly assured as South Korea took control. His commanding performance in the 90+3rd minute — a diving save to his right to deny Michal Sadílek when the Czech substitute had broken clear — was the moment of the match from a goalkeeping perspective. Had that gone in, everything South Korea had built would have been undone in the final seconds. Kim was equal to it. Three points to South Korea. A goalkeeper's finest hour often comes in a single moment that no one outside the stadium can fully appreciate. This was Kim's moment.
Matěj Kovář — The Save That Nearly Changed Everything
Czechia's goalkeeper Matěj Kovář was arguably the best goalkeeper on the pitch in terms of pure quality — and yet finished on the losing side. His save to deny Son Heung-min in the 56th minute, with the South Korean captain bearing down one-on-one, was arguably the save of the match. It denied the Taeguk Warriors the goal that would have settled the contest far earlier. Kovář was not at fault for either goal he conceded — Hwang's chip was placed precisely where no goalkeeper on the planet could have reached it, and Oh's finish required only a touch from the goalline. He leaves Guadalajara having done his job. It simply was not enough.
🧤
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On the evidence of their performance in Guadalajara, South Korea should not be underestimated at this tournament. They were deserving winners in a game defined by a clash of styles.
Sky Sports Match Report · FIFA World Cup 2026 · Guadalajara · June 11
What This Means Going Forward
🇰🇷
South Korea — Don't Underestimate Them
Three points and a performance that will have every team in the World Cup checking their notebooks. South Korea have quality in every area — Hwang In-beom's goal was world-class, their positional play was excellent, and their bench provided the decisive contribution. They face ES athlete Raúl Rangel's Mexico next — both sides on 3 points after opening wins.
📅 South Korea vs Mexico · June 18 · 9:00 PM ET · 6:30 AM IST Jun 19 · Guadalajara
🇨🇿
Czechia — Resilient But Need More
Czechia showed their direct, counter-attacking approach works — Krejčí's goal from a long throw was clinical and well-rehearsed. But 15 shots conceded against is unsustainable. They need Schick to find form against South Africa. A win is essential to keep their World Cup alive after losing their first group match at their first World Cup in 20 years.
📅 Czechia vs South Africa · June 18 · 6:00 PM ET · 3:30 AM IST Jun 19
The Group A connection to ES: Raúl Rangel and his Mexico team-mates now face South Korea next, in what will be one of the most eagerly-anticipated Group A matches of the tournament. Watch this space.
Conclusion
South Korea 2-1 Czechia. A result that tells only part of the story. The full version involves 59 minutes of South Korean dominance without a goal, a sucker-punch header from a long throw, a chip of extraordinary calm from Hwang In-beom, an offside ruling that denied Czechia their equaliser, a substitute winner from Oh Hyeon-gyu, and a final save from Kim Seung-gyu that was ultimately the difference between three points and one.
South Korea are top of Group A alongside Mexico. Their coach Hong Myung-bo — who himself scored and assisted at a World Cup in 1994 — watched his own player achieve the same feat in 2026. Football's circles are beautiful. The Taeguk Warriors are back. And they mean business.
Follow Elite Sport throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup for full match reports, goalkeeper ratings, and complete coverage of all nine ES athletes on the world stage — only at elitesportkeepers.com
Frequently Asked Questions
South Korea beat Czechia 2-1 in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico on June 11. Ladislav Krejčí scored for Czechia in the 59th minute. Hwang In-beom equalised in the 67th minute and substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the winner in the 80th minute.
Hwang In-beom scored South Korea's equaliser in the 67th minute with a delicate chip over Kovář, assisted by Lee Kang-in. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the winner in the 80th minute, sliding in to convert Hwang In-beom's cutback at the near post. Oh became the 8th South Korean to score on his World Cup debut.
Hwang In-beom became the third South Korean player to score and assist in the same World Cup match, after Choi Soon-ho against Italy in 1986 and Hong Myung-bo against Spain in 1994. Hong Myung-bo is now the South Korea head coach — making this a uniquely connected historical achievement across three generations.
Kim Seung-gyu made a crucial late diving save in the 90+3rd minute to deny Michal Sadílek, who had broken clear of South Korea's defence with only the goalkeeper to beat. Kim dived to his right to push the shot wide, preserving South Korea's 2-1 lead and securing all three points in the final moments of the match.
South Korea face Mexico on June 18 at 9:00 PM ET / 6:30 AM IST June 19 in Guadalajara — two sides both on 3 points after opening wins. Czechia face South Africa on June 18 at 6:00 PM ET / 3:30 AM IST June 19 in what is a must-win match for both sides.
South Korea Vs Czechia: Fifa World Cup 2026 Match Report
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