EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsGUADALAJARA, Mexico -- For 16 years, an opening win at the FIFA World Cup had eluded South Korea.In 2014 and 2018, their slow starts proved costly as they failed to make it out of the group stage. Last time out, there was a touch of fortune in the way they only reached the round of 16 courtesy of a dramatic 91st-minute winner over Portugal.On Thursday, as they opened their Group A campaign at the 2026 World Cup at Estadio Guadalajara, the Taegeuk Warriors looked like they might once again leave themselves with an uphill task.But after falling behind in the 57th minute, a stirring revival courtesy of goals from Hwang In-Beom and Oh Hyeon-Gyu ensured that South Korea would make a winning start for the first time since 2010 with a plucky 2-1 triumph over Czechia.The win was probably deserved in the end, given that Korea had the dominant share of possession with 62%.Yet, for a while, it looked as though the lack of a clinical edge would be costly.Ranking Asia's contenders: Which team will go furthest at World Cup?Tan: Midfield metronome Hwang In-Beom could be key for South KoreaWill 2026 prove to be Son Heung-Min's final FIFA World Cup hurrah?As expected, South Korea started with the safer 5-2-3 system that coach Hong Myung-Bo adopted as recently as March -- in a quest for more stability after losing anchorman Park Yong-Woo through injury. But the adventurous mentality they showed from the opening whistle meant they were anything but conservative.The wingbacks, especially Seol Young-Woo on the right, pushed high and -- with the South Koreans dominating possession early -- effectively made for a more offensive-minded 3-4-3.Lee Kang-In started out wide in a bid to find more freedom then drifted infield at every available opportunity to operate as the No. 10, and it all made for a very positive start -- even if their best attempts in the first half were largely from distance.The first meaningful effort on goal came in the 14th minute when Lee found space outside the area and unleashed a 25-yard effort that forced Czechia custodian Matj Kov into a sprawling save -- although one he would have been expected to make.Son Heung-Min was the next to try his luck from range, in the 38th minute, but he failed to keep his shot down. The South Korea captain was slowly but surely coming to life and, two minutes later, he went close again with a left-footed attempt that was just wide -- having cleverly spun free of a defender after receiving possession with his back to goal just inside the final third.South Korea then had their best chance of the opening 45 when a patient move resulted in Son being picked out inside the area only for him to unselfishly feed the ball out wide to Lee Tae-Seok. Likewise, the left wingback arguably should have gone for goal himself with a clear path ahead of him; instead, his attempted cutback was hacked clear by a desperate Czechia defence.Then, as the second half reaped better openings, South Korea started to get wasteful -- although Kov deserves plenty of credit for his refusal to be beaten.An excellent double save proved crucial in denying both Lee Kang-In and Lee Jae-Sung four minutes after the restart, before Kov made himself big to deny Son in a one-on-one situation -- albeit from an acute angle -- seven minutes later.And it soon looked like it would be one of those days, when, against the run of play, Czechia broke the deadlock three minutes before the hour mark.South Korea had hitherto looked shaky only under high balls hung up inside their area. So it should come as no surprise that a long throw hurled in by Vladimr Coufal paved the way for his captain, Ladislav Krej, to put a thumping header into the back of the net.With South Korea's front three just lacking a killer edge, midfield metronome Hwang -- more often creating the chances rather than putting them away -- stepped up.Just ten minutes after his team fell behind, Hwang ran onto a probing pass from Lee Kang-In. Not known for his speed, he seemed to take an eternity to get to the ball but ultimately reached it first. And with a clever feint, he put Kov on his backside and sent a recovering Robin Hran flying out of the picture -- leaving himself the simple task of delicately lifting the ball into the unguarded net.South Korea's unconvincing defending of set-pieces almost hurt them again in the 77th minute -- and it will be something they have to work on. On this occasion, Tom Souek's header was correctly ruled out for offside.And three minutes later, the comeback was completed.This time, Hwang returned to doing what he does best. Breaking free down the right after being released by a visionary pass from Paik Seung-Ho, the Feyenoord technician swept a first-time ball into the area -- where Oh, who had replaced Son only 11 minutes earlier -- powered home the winner.For the first time since 2010, South Korea have won an opening game at the World Cup.How strange -- but nice -- it must feel for them to suddenly be in a positive position after just one game.
