Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu gave South Korea a winning start to the World Cup as they came from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1.
Former Celtic forward Oh struck 11 minutes from time after Hwang In-beom’s moment of magic had cancelled out Czech captain Ladislav Krejci’s header in Guadalajara.
South Korea made the brighter start, Son Heung-min firing over with Lee Han-beom heading over the bar before Paris St Germain’s Lee Kang-in forced a save from Matej Kovar with an effort from outside the box.
The Czechs, playing in their first World Cup since 2006, struggled to carve out any chances and the Koreans ended the first half with a flurry of opportunities.
Son again fired over and curled a shot wide of Kovar’s post before the former Tottenham striker was unable to meet a return cross into the box in added time.
Hwang and Lee Jae-sung were denied by Kovar to start the second half, the goalkeeper also denying Son before the Czechs went ahead with their first real chance – Krejci, who spent last season on loan at Wolves, meeting Vladimir Coufal’s long throw unmarked.
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The lead lasted just eight minutes, Hwang finally converting a Korean chance as his check back sent Kovar and Robin Hranac past the ball and he was able to find the empty net.
West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek had a headed effort ruled out for a clear offside and within three minutes, Oh turned in Hwang’s low cross via Kovar’s hand, although Korea needed a pair of fine saves by Kim Seung-gyu to wrap up all three points.
South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said he had “told the boys to keep playing the way we’ve been playing” in the final quarter.
He said: “The win itself makes me happy, but what’s even more positive is that our boys won by not giving up.”
Czech Republic coach Miroslav Koubek rued “some mistakes” but admitted “the better team probably won”.
“We played very well, it could have been a draw and we could have won as well,” said Koubek, whose side face South Africa in their second group match on Thursday.
