By Our Man in Guadalajara
THE WORLD CUP exploded into life in Guadalajara as South Korea staged a breathtaking, star-studded second-half comeback to sink a resilient Czechia side 2-1.
On a night where technical panache clashed violently with old-school direct football, it was Myung-Bo Hong’s men who proved they have the stomach for a fight.
Despite global icon Son Heung-min shaking off some uncharacteristic rustiness in front of goal, Korea’s other heavy hitters stepped into the spotlight to secure a crucial opening three points in Group A.
The headlines will rightly belong to super-sub Oh Hyeon-gyu, who climbed off the treatment table to smash home the 80th-minute winner. Oh later revealed he had been battling a raging 38°C fever in the build-up to the match and was a major doubt.
But injected with pure World Cup adrenaline, the forward swept home the decisive blow from close range, sparking wild scenes in the dugout.
The catalyst for the turnaround, however, was midfield maestro Hwang In-beom. With Tottenham star Son frustratingly thwarted by Czech keeper Matěj Kovář in a lackluster first half, it was Hwang who took the game by the scruff of the neck.
For all of South Korea’s elegant tiki-taka—boasting a massive 62% of the ball—it was Czechia who struck first blood against the run of play. In the 59th minute, Vladimir Coufal launched a trademark missile of a long throw into the box. Czech captain Ladislav Krejčí rose highest, punishing the Koreans for their first-half wastefulness by nodding past a helpless Kim Seung-gyu.
With Paris Saint-Germain wizard Lee Kang-in pulling the strings in the final third, Korea moved through the gears. Lee threaded a sumptuous ball to Hwang, who left two Czech defenders sliding into the Mexican turf with a brilliant dummy before clipping a delightful finish into the corner.
”We knew we were capable of winning. At 1-1, I just told the boys to keep playing with verve,” said a proud Myung-Bo Hong after the final whistle.
West Ham’s Tomáš Souček thought he had restored the Czech lead with another towering header, but the assistant’s flag cut the celebrations short for a tight offside. Minutes later, Hwang turned provider, driving a low cross from the right flank straight into the path of the fever-stricken Oh, who made no mistake.
Czechia threw the kitchen sink forward in the dying moments, but Korean stopper Kim Seung-gyu pulled off a world-class diving save on the line to deny Adam Hložek and preserve a thoroughly deserved victory.
The spectacular comeback leaves South Korea level with co-hosts Mexico at the summit of Group A. On this evidence, the Red Devils are shaping up to be the tournament’s ultimate dark horses.