South Korea came from behind to defeat Czechia 2-1 in their second group match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday night at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico. The win put them level on points with group leaders Mexico.

After a goalless first half that drew jeers from the crowd, Czechia took the lead in the 59th minute through captain Ladislav Krejci, who headed home from a long throw-in. South Korea equalized in the 67th minute when Hwang In-beom faked a shot to beat two defenders before scoring.

Hwang then turned provider in the 80th minute, delivering a cross from the right flank for Oh Hyeon-gyu to slot home the winner. Star forward Son Heung-min led the attack as South Korea dominated possession and outshot their opponents.

Czechia, ranked 38th by FIFA, were making their first World Cup appearance since 2006. South Korea, ranked 25th, created the better chances but struggled to convert early on. The announced attendance was 44,985, though large sections of the stadium remained empty.

Earlier Thursday, Mexico kicked off their campaign with a dominant 2-0 win over nine-man South Africa at the Estadio Azteca. Mexico top Group A on goal difference, with South Korea second, Czechia third, and South Africa bottom.

The next round of Group A matches on June 18 sees Mexico face South Korea in Zapopan, while Czechia take on South Africa in Atlanta. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the round of 32.

Source: www.aljazeera.com