Guadalajara, 12 June (H.S.): South Korea produced an impressive comeback to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in a FIFA World Cup 2026 match, with Hwang In-beom emerging as the hero after scoring one goal and providing an assist. The match was played on Friday morning (IST) at Guadalajara Stadium.

Neither side was able to meet expectations in the first half, leading to visible frustration among spectators. After a goalless opening period, the contest came to life in the second half.

The Czech Republic took the lead in the 59th minute. Captain Ladislav Krejčí converted a long throw-in inside the penalty area with a header, giving his side a 1-0 advantage.

However, South Korea responded swiftly. In the 67th minute, Hwang In-beom showcased excellent individual skill, beating two defenders before firing home a superb goal to level the score.

The decisive moment came in the 80th minute when Hwang delivered an outstanding cross from the right flank, which Oh Hyeon-gyu converted into the winning goal, putting South Korea ahead 2-1.

Led by star forward Son Heung-min, South Korea maintained control of possession throughout much of the match and kept sustained pressure on the Czech side. Ranked 25th in the FIFA standings, South Korea created more scoring opportunities than the 38th-ranked Czech Republic and ultimately secured a deserved victory.

The match marked the Czech Republic’s first FIFA World Cup appearance since 2006, but the team was unable to mount a comeback after falling behind.

Although the stadium has a capacity of 45,664, the official attendance was recorded at 44,985. Despite the near-capacity figure, several sections of the venue appeared to have noticeable empty seats.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar