Kashmir Impulse Desk

Guadalajara, June 11

Korea Republic overcame a second-half deficit to defeat Czechia 2-1 on Thursday, with Hwang Inbeom delivering a goal and an assist to launch his side’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in winning fashion.

For much of the evening, Korea looked the more threatening team but struggled to find a breakthrough against Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar.

Lee Kangin tested Kovar with a powerful effort in the 14th minute, while Son Heungmin repeatedly found promising positions without finding the target. The Tottenham star also saw another opportunity slip away in first-half stoppage time as Czechia survived sustained pressure.

Korea continued to push after the break, but Kovar again denied Son before the match took an unexpected turn.

Against the run of play, Czechia struck first in the 59th minute. Captain Ladislav Krejci rose highest to meet Vladimir Coufal’s long throw and powered a header beyond goalkeeper Kim Seunggyu, giving the Europeans a surprise lead.

The advantage lasted only eight minutes.

Lee threaded a sublime pass into the path of Hwang, who cut inside and delicately lifted his finish past Kovar to level the match at 1–1.

With momentum firmly in Korea’s favor, Hwang turned provider in the 80th minute. Driving down the right side, he delivered a low cross into the penalty area where substitute Oh Hyeongyu arrived to slot home the winner.

Czechia pushed desperately for an equalizer in the closing stages. Their best chance came two minutes after the winning goal when Adam Hlozek unleashed a dangerous effort, only for Kim to produce a spectacular save.

The victory marked Korea Republic’s third consecutive World Cup win against European opposition, following memorable triumphs over Portugal in 2022 and Germany in 2018.

Krejci’s goal also carried historical significance. It was Czechia’s first World Cup goal in almost exactly 20 years, dating back to Tomas Rosicky’s strike in a 3–0 victory over the United States on June 12, 2006.

“It was our first game and a very difficult one,” Korea coach Hong Myungbo said. “What pleased me most was that our players never gave up. At 1–1, I told them to keep playing the way they had been. Now our focus shifts to Mexico, and we’ll spend the next week preparing for another important match.”

Match-winner Oh revealed he had battled illness before kickoff.

“I can’t explain my emotions in words,” he said. “My temperature had gone up to 38 degrees, and I wasn’t feeling well. I wasn’t sure if I could even play, but thanks to our medical staff I was able to be on the field.”

Krejci remained optimistic despite the loss.

 “We’re still adapting to our tactical approach,” the Czech captain said. “This is our first World Cup in a long time, and nerves are natural. The key is staying compact and making it difficult for opponents to reach our goal.”

Korea’s resilience and attacking quality ultimately proved decisive, turning a frustrating evening into a valuable opening victory and an early boost in the race to advance from Group A.