South Korea defeats Czech Republic 2-1 in World Cup opener

South Korea rallied from a 1‑0 deficit to beat the Czech Republic 2‑1 in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup held in Guadalajara, Mexico. Czech captain Ladislav Krejci gave his side the lead with a header in the 59th minute, but In‑beom Hwang equalised in the 67th minute and Hyeon‑gyu Oh secured the winner eight minutes later.

The win moved South Korea to second place in Group A, putting pressure on co‑hosts Mexico and South Africa in the group. It also marked a strong start for the twice‑crowned Asian champions, while the Czech team suffered a disappointing debut after returning to the tournament for the first time in 20 years.