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South Korea beat Czechia after Oh Hyeon-gyu finishes late comeback
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South Korea beat Czechia after Oh Hyeon-gyu finishes late comeback

Contemporary match reports recorded South Korea coming from behind to beat Czechia 2-1 in their opening FIFA World Cup Group A match in Guadalajara, with Hwang In-beom equalising after Ladislav Krejčí's second-half header and Oh Hyeon-gyu scoring the winner in the 80th minute. The result gives South Korea an immediate foothold in a group where the expanded 48-team format rewards early points: FIFA's tournament structure sends the top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-placed sides, into the round of 32. For Belgium Pulse readers, the football hook is not only the upset rhythm of the match but Oh's recent Belgian connection: he played for KRC Genk before moving on in 2026. The broader story is South Korea's continuing World Cup resilience against European opponents and Czechia's difficult return to the finals after a long absence.

Belgium Impulse Editorial·12 June 2026·3 min read·6 sources
Key signal

This is primarily a football story for Belgian supporters following the World Cup, Jupiler Pro League watchers and KRC Genk fans tracking former players on the global stage. Oh Hyeon-gyu's winner gives the Belgian domestic game a small but visible connection to the tournament's opening phase. For wider Belgian viewers, the result also shapes Group A's early knockout arithmetic in a World Cup format where third-place qualification keeps more teams alive longer than in past tournaments.

Oh Hyeon-gyu (South Korean striker, born in 2001) is the forward whose late goal decided the match and whose recent club career included KRC Genk. Hwang In-beom (South Korean midfielder, born in 1996) scored the equaliser and supplied the decisive attacking action. Ladislav Krejčí (Czech defender, born in 1999) is Czechia's captain and scored with a second-half header. Son Heung-min (South Korean captain, born in 1992) is the country's best-known modern footballer after a long Premier League career. Hong Myung-bo (South Korea coach, born in 1969) captained the 2002 team that reached the World Cup semi-finals. Czechia (Central European state, formed in 1993 after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia) is playing this tournament as the Czech Republic's football successor. Guadalajara (Mexican city in Jalisco) is one of the 2026 host cities. KRC Genk (Belgian Pro League club in Limburg) was Oh's Belgian stop before his 2026 move abroad.

Background

South Korea's World Cup reputation has been built on late resilience and major upsets. FIFA records place their best finish in 2002, when the co-hosts reached the semi-finals under Guus Hiddink before finishing fourth. In 2018, South Korea beat Germany 2-0 in Kazan, a result that helped eliminate the defending champions. In 2022, Hwang Hee-chan's stoppage-time goal against Portugal sent South Korea into the last 16. Czechia's modern World Cup history is thinner: the Czech Republic last appeared in 2006, while Czechoslovakia reached the finals in 1934 and 1962.

Why now

The story is timely because Group A has just opened and South Korea's late comeback immediately changed the pool's early standings. Opening matches matter more psychologically than mathematically, but this one gave South Korea points, momentum and a clear selection talking point around Oh Hyeon-gyu.

OIS Intelligence

What to watch

Watch South Korea's next Group A lineup: Oh Hyeon-gyu's winner could strengthen his case for a larger role. Czechia's response will show whether the team can turn set-piece danger into a fuller attacking plan. Group A's third-match-day arithmetic may remain open under the expanded format.

Sources & evidence