South Korea defeat Czechs to make strong World Cup start

South Korea secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against the Czech Republic on Thursday, marking a successful start to their World Cup journey. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, the Korean team had to wait until the final minutes to convert their pressure into a winning goal.

The Czechs took an unexpected lead against the run of play in the second half when Ladislav Krejci headed home. However, South Korea's persistence paid off. Hwang In-beom equalized in the 67th minute with a skillful finish, faking a shot before delicately chipping the ball over the goalkeeper. The same player then provided the assist for substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu, who slotted home the decisive goal in the 80th minute.

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Son Heung-min’s Koreans had dominated the first half but were unable to find the net.

Captain Son Heung-min, who had missed several earlier opportunities, expressed his relief and joy at the final whistle. The win puts South Korea in a strong position in Group A. They are set to face co-hosts Mexico in their next match on June 18, while the Czech Republic will play South Africa on the same day.

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Until the 80th-minute mark it seemed that the Czechs would punish the Koreans’ wastefulness, but substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the decisive goal.