South Korea began their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on a bright note after coming from behind to defeat Czech Republic 2-1 in their opening group stage match on Friday.
The Asian side showed great determination as they recovered from an early setback to claim all three points in a thrilling contest played in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Not fewer than two second-half goals helped South Korea complete the comeback after Czech Republic had taken the lead and looked set to secure victory in the encounter.
The first half ended without much action as both teams struggled to create clear scoring chances, leaving fans waiting for the breakthrough.
Czech Republic finally found the opener in the 59th minute when captain Ladislav Krejci rose highest inside the box to head home and put his side ahead.
South Korea responded strongly and increased the pressure immediately after going behind as they pushed for an equaliser.
Their efforts paid off in the 67th minute when midfielder Hwang In-beom produced a brilliant finish after dribbling past defenders before sending the ball into the net.
With momentum now on their side, South Korea kept attacking and eventually found the winning goal late in the game.
Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu became the hero in the 80th minute after connecting perfectly with a cross from Hwang In-beom to complete the turnaround.
The victory gives South Korea a strong start in Group A as they now look ahead to their next match with confidence while Czech Republic will hope to bounce back quickly.