Head coach Hong Myung-bo instructs players after taking the lead against Czechia. [Photo=Yonhap News]

The Hong Myung-bo led team secured a comeback victory against Czechia, kicking off the 2026 FIFA North, Central American and Caribbean World Cup on a positive note.

The South Korean national football team, managed by Head Coach Hong Myung-bo, defeated Czechia 2-1 in their opening Group A match of the North, Central American and Caribbean World Cup, held at the Estadio Jalisco in Zapopan, Mexico on the 12th (Korean time).

Facing the tall Czech players, the Hong Myung-bo squad maintained possession and exploited the space behind the defense, scoring both the equalizer and the winning goal with the same tactical approach, completing a satisfying comeback victory.

Czechia attacked with a single pattern of long passes, while South Korea controlled the ball in midfield, with Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) and Lee Kang-in (PSG) repeatedly attempting passes into the space behind the defenders to create scoring opportunities.

In the 3rd minute of the first half, a sharp long pass from defender Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon) to Son Heung-min, followed by a diagonal pass from Lee Kang-in to the overlapping Lee Tae-seok three minutes later, were enough to unsettle the opponent's defensive line.

Although they conceded a goal in the 14th minute of the second half from a simple header following a throw-in, a result of their height disadvantage, South Korea demonstrated resilience by utilizing the "pass behind the defense" strategy to perfection, scoring both the equalizer and the winning goal.

In the 22nd minute of the second half, Lee Kang-in threaded a pass from midfield into the gap between Czechia's central defenders. Hwang In-beom surged forward, outmaneuvered both the defender and the goalkeeper with a feint, and scored the equalizer with a right-footed shot.

The winning goal in the 35th minute of the second half by Oh Hyun-gyu (Beşiktaş) also originated from a pass into the space behind the Czech defense from Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City) in midfield. Hwang In-beom received the pass, delivered a cross, and the onrushing Oh Hyun-gyu tapped it in for the decisive goal.

The Hong Myung-bo squad, which had faced criticism from fans for a perceived lack of tactical clarity, completed a dramatic comeback victory by consistently targeting the space behind the Czech defense throughout the 90 minutes. With this win, South Korea has taken a significant step closer to the Round of 32.