ZAPOPAN (Mexico), June 12 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- South Korea defeated Czechia 2-1 to open their 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico on Thursday, taking a big step toward a place in the knockout stage, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu netted the go-ahead goal in the 80th minute at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, near Guadalajara in western Mexico, after the teams had traded a goal apiece earlier in the second half following a goalless opening half.
Ladislav Krejci headed in the match's first goal for Czechia in the 59th minute before Hwang In-beom scored the equaliser eight minutes later.
Hwang then assisted Oh's goal, which came a couple of minutes after a would-be Czechia goal was disallowed on an offside.
This was the fourth time that South Korea won their first match of a World Cup, following 2002, 2006 and 2010. South Korea progressed to the knockout phase in 2002 and 2010.
South Korea's next Group A match will be against Mexico, one of the tournament's three co-host countries, at 7 p.m. next Thursday at Estadio Guadalajara. It will be 10 a.m. next Friday in South Korea.
Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in Mexico City in the tournament opener earlier Thursday.
-- BERNAMA-YONHAP
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