FIFA World Cup 2026: South Korea defeat Czechs to make strong World Cup start

Updated On: 12 June, 2026 09:54 AM IST | Guadalajara, Mexico | AFP

Until the 80th-minute mark it seemed that the Czechs would punish the Koreans' wastefulness, but substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the decisive goal in a Guadalajara stadium that was far from full.

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South Korea's forward Oh Hyeon-gyu celebrates with teammate midfielder Hwang In-beom scoring his team's second goal during the 2026 World Cup Group A football match between South Korea and the Czech Republic at the Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan. Pic/AFP

South Korea got their FIFA World Cup campaign off to a winning start by beating the Czech Republic 2-1 Thursday after finally converting some of the many chances they created.

Until the 80th-minute mark it seemed that the Czechs would punish the Koreans' wastefulness, but substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the decisive goal in a Guadalajara stadium that was far from full.