South Korea fight back to beat Czech Republic in a tough contest

South Korea showed composure, control and a touch of class as they overturned a second‑half deficit to beat Czech Republic 2-1 in the second Group A match at Estadio Guadalajara. It was a performance built on patience and technical quality, capped by goals from In‑Beom Hwang and substitute Hyeon‑Gyu Oh after Ladislav Krejci’s opener.

Slow first half, missed chances for Son

Myung‑Bo Hong’s side were the sharper team from the outset. They dominated the ball, moved it with purpose and repeatedly worked openings down the flanks. Kang‑In Lee forced the first save of the night with a long‑range strike, while the crowd delivered its first Mexican wave before the half-hour mark.

Heung‑Min Son, lively but wasteful, passed up two big chances before the break. The best fell on 39 minutes, when he drifted into space and dragged his shot wide. It set the tone for a frustrating night in front of goal for the captain, who finished with one effort on target from six attempts.

Krejci strikes

Czech Republic, direct and disciplined, threatened mostly from set‑pieces. Their breakthrough came just before the hour. Vladimir Coufal launched a trademark long throw into the box, and Krejci attacked it with force, powering a header inside the near post for their first effort on target.

It was a goal that suited their approach: physical, straightforward, and reliant on moments rather than sustained possession.

Hwang’s equaliser sparks shift

The lead lasted only eight minutes. South Korea responded with their best move of the match. Kang‑In Lee slipped a clever pass inside, Hwang drifted into space, opened his body and clipped a deft finish inside the far post. It was a moment of calm in a frantic spell, and it shifted the entire feel of the contest.

From there, South Korea’s confidence grew. They kept the ball, stretched the Czechs and forced them deeper and deeper.

Soucek denied

Tomas Soucek briefly thought he had restored the Czech lead when he headed in from another set‑piece, but the flag went up for offside. It proved a turning point.

Ten minutes later, South Korea struck again. Hwang, now running the game, drove into the box and fired a low cross across goal. Oh, introduced from the bench, arrived at the perfect moment to steer it home from close range.

The forward later revealed he had been ill in the build‑up, saying his temperature had reached 38 degrees earlier in the day. “I wondered if I could even play,” he said:

It was possible thanks to our staff and medical team. As a striker I am relieved and thankful.

South Korea see it out

Czech Republic pushed late on, and Seung‑Gyu Kim had to make a sharp stoppage‑time save from Michal Sadilek. But South Korea managed the final minutes with maturity, keeping the ball and slowing the tempo.

Hong praised his side’s mentality afterwards:

The win itself makes me happy, but what’s even more positive is that our boys won by not giving up,” he said. “At 1-1, I told them to keep playing the way we’ve been playing.

Czech coach Miroslav Koubek admitted “the better team probably won”, though he felt his side “could have drawn or even won” on another day.

A clash of styles, with a statement from South Korea

This was a meeting of contrasting approaches. The Czechs went long, looked for second balls and relied heavily on set‑pieces. South Korea, by contrast, played with fluency and imagination, finishing with 62 per cent possession and almost double the completed passes of their opponents.

Son may not have found his finishing touch, but the supporting cast delivered. Hwang and Kang‑In Lee were outstanding, dictating the rhythm and creating the moments that mattered.

With Mexico also on three points, the group is shaping into a straight fight for top spot. On this evidence, South Korea look capable of more than simply getting out of the group. They look organised, confident and dangerous, a side with the tools to trouble anyone.

Featured Image courtesy of Alex Slitz/Getty Images