South Korea 2–1 Czechia — World Cup 2026 Group A Match Report

South Korea opened their World Cup 2026 campaign with a composed 2–1 victory over Czechia at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, in a Group A match that showed exactly why the Taeguk Warriors are genuine contenders to replicate their historic 2002 semi-final run.

Son Heung-min, the captain and talisman, opened the scoring in the 18th minute. Receiving the ball on the edge of the Czechia penalty area from a deft Lee Kang-in through ball, Son took one touch to control and another to slot calmly past the goalkeeper. The crowd erupted. It was the kind of goal that confirms why Son remains one of the most reliable big-game performers in world football — the movement, the composure, the finish; all utterly characteristic.

Czechia's response was measured. Tomáš Souček commanded the midfield with authority, and for a quarter of an hour after the opener, the Czechs created enough to threaten an equaliser. But South Korea's defensive block held. Kim Min-jae, arguably the best centre-back in world football right now, was imperious — reading danger, winning headers, and starting play from the back with the confidence of a player who has seen everything at club level in Europe.

The second goal came four minutes before half-time. Lee Kang-in picked up the ball 25 metres from goal, manufactured space with a sharp shift onto his stronger foot, and struck a ferocious curling effort that clipped the inside of the far post. 2–0 at half-time, and South Korea looked entirely in control.

Czechia's second-half response gave the match renewed tension. Patrik Schick, always dangerous around the penalty area, pulled one back in the 62nd minute with a well-struck free-kick over the wall and into the top corner. Suddenly the match was alive, and Czechia began to believe a comeback was possible.

South Korea sat deeper. The final 28 minutes were tense — Czechia pressed with urgency, creating two clear opportunities. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a world-class stop from Ondřej Lingr's header with 10 minutes remaining. But South Korea's structure held until the final whistle.

Three points. A winning start. And a performance that tells the rest of Group A — and beyond — that South Korea are here to cause problems.

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