Hwang leads South Korea comeback win

Four of South Korea's eight World Cup victories have come in comeback fashion. On Thursday, the Taegeuk Warriors added another chapter to that tradition, rallying from a goal down to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in their opening Group Stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Guadalajara Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Midfielder Hwang In-beom of Feyenoord sparked the turnaround, while goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu of FC Tokyo preserved it. With South Korea trailing 1-0, Hwang leveled the score in the 67th minute. Taking a pass from Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain inside the box, he slipped between defenders, rounded the goalkeeper with a deft touch and calmly lifted the ball into the net. He then set up the winner in the 80th minute, sending a low cross in from the right that Oh Hyeon-gyu of Besiktas converted for the decisive goal.

Hwang had scored six goals in 73 international appearances before the match, but none had come on the World Cup stage. "I'm not usually a player who finds himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but I saw space and made the run," Hwang said. "Kang-in delivered a great pass. I didn't think I had the angle to shoot right away, so I took a touch to create space. Fortunately, the defender bit on it."

Since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Hwang has been a central figure in South Korea's midfield. His participation in this tournament was far from certain after an ankle injury suffered during a club match in March ruled him out for the remainder of the season. The national team's coaching staff supported his rehabilitation by assigning a trainer to aid his recovery, helping him return to full fitness in time for the World Cup. Hwang rewarded that faith with a standout performance in the opener. "Everyone congratulated me and thanked me," he said. "I'm just as grateful to my teammates. This was a special match for me, and I'm happy." After contributing to both South Korean goals, Hwang was named Superior Player of the Match, the game's official MVP.

If Hwang launched the comeback, Kim made sure it held up. After winning the starting role ahead of Jo Hyeon-woo, Kim conceded the opening goal in the 59th minute but responded with a series of outstanding saves. Czech coach Miroslav Koubek praised the goalkeeper afterward, saying his team had opportunities to score but he could hardly believe Kim had stopped shots from such close range.

Kim's biggest saves came in the closing stages. In the 82nd minute, Adam Hlozek connected with a long throw-in from the right and fired a left-footed shot, but Kim reacted instantly to keep it out. Deep into stoppage time, he denied Michal Sadilek from close range, preserving all three points for South Korea.

Kim is appearing in his fourth World Cup, having previously represented South Korea in Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022. His road back to the tournament was not an easy one. He suffered two anterior cruciate ligament injuries to his right knee in 2024 alone. "A year ago, there were times when I wasn't even sure I'd be able to return to the field," Kim said. "To overcome those injuries, earn a place in the starting lineup and help the team win makes all those difficult moments worthwhile."

Kim also had an extra source of motivation. His daughter was born on June 4, and he hoped to celebrate the occasion with a victory for both her and his wife. "I video-called my daughter before heading to the stadium today," Kim said. "Until now, I'd only seen her asleep. Today she opened her eyes, looked right at me and made eye contact. That gave me even more energy."


한종호 hjh@donga.com