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

South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in their opening Group A match of the 2026 World Cup, held at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Mexico. The Czech Republic took the lead in the 59th minute with a header from Ladislav Krejci following a long throw-in. Hwang In-beom equalized for South Korea in the 67th minute and provided the assist for the winning goal scored by substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu in the 80th minute. While Son Heung-min started for South Korea, he failed to score despite creating several chances. South Korean coach Hong Myung-bo praised his team's unity, while Czech coach Miroslav Koubek cited defensive errors as the reason for the loss. With this result, South Korea joins Mexico at the top of the group standings with three points each. The match saw a reported attendance of 44,985, though media reports noted empty seats in the stadium.