Second-half goals from Oh Hyeon-gyu and Hwang In-beom helped South Korea come from behind to beat the Czech Republic in a Group A match.
Published on June 12, 2026
Hwang In-beom scored a goal and assisted another as South Korea cruised to a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in their second game of the season FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday evening in Zapopan, Mexico.
After a lackluster first half in which both teams were met with ridicule as they left the field, the Czech Republic took the lead in the 59th minute through captain Ladislav Krejci’s header from a long throw into the penalty area.
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South Korea equalized in the 67th minute when Hwang scored with a clever move after a fake shot to clear two Czech players. He then crossed from the right for Oh Hyeon-gyu’s decisive 80th-minute goal in a game played in front of hundreds of empty seats at the Guadalajara Stadium.
Led by star striker Son Heung-min, South Korea controlled possession and outpaced the Czechs, who were taking part in their first World Cup since 2006.
The South Koreans, ranked 25th according to FIFA, had the most notable chances to score against the Czechs, ranked 38th, but were unable to take advantage of them early on.
The announced attendance was 44,985 at the Guadalajara Stadium, which had a capacity of 45,666 spectators. There were many unoccupied seats in the middle areas of the stands, and other vacant seats were scattered throughout the stadium.
The previous Thursday, Mexico started its World Cup party with a Dominant 2-0 win over South Africa with nine players as the biggest edition of the global football spectacle began at the legendary Estadio Azteca.
Mexico is at the top of Group A with three points each, followed by South Korea on goal difference. The Czech Republic is in third place and South Africa is at the bottom. In the next round of Group A games On June 18, Mexico will face South Korea in Zapopan, while the Czech Republic will play South Africa in Atlanta.
The top two teams from each of the 12 groups and the eight best third-placed teams advance to the knockout stages, which begin with the round of 32.
You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated website FIFA World Cup 2026 Page with the latest news, match preparation and live text commentary and stay up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.
