Korea Republic opened their World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Czech Republic, recovering from a goal down to secure three points in Group A. Ladislav Krejcí’s towering header from Vladimir Coufal’s throw-in appeared to have rewarded the Czechs’ counter-attacking approach, but Korea’s quality eventually told in a frantic final quarter.
In-beom Hwang proved the difference, equalising with a delicate chip before crossing for substitute Hyeon-gyu Oh to complete the turnaround. Captain Heung-min Son endured a frustrating evening in front of goal, denied by Matej Kovar in a one-on-one, but Korea’s depth off the bench made the decisive impact as Czech Republic’s first World Cup in 20 years began with defeat.
Below, we rate all of the players on show …
Korea Republic
Goalkeeper & Defence
Seung-gyu Kim (8/10)
Made crucial saves at critical moments, denying Adam Hlozek from close range and Michal Sadílek in the 94th minute when the lead remained fragile at 2–1. Beaten only by Krejčí’s header from a set piece, his late interventions secured the victory.
Han-beom Lee (7/10)
Contributed defensively in the back three and pushed forward to support attacks on the right. Headed a corner off target in the first half and made an important late clearance to relieve pressure during stoppage time.
Gi-hyuk Lee (6/10)
Fulfilled his duties at left centre-back without major incident until the closing moments. Picked up the match’s only yellow card in the 96th minute for halting a Czech counter-attack, a necessary intervention to preserve the result.
Min-jae Kim (7/10)
Anchored the defence with his physical presence and aerial ability, winning duels against the Czech forwards. Distributed well from deep positions and assumed the captain’s armband after Son’s substitution, though was beaten for Krejčí’s opener.
Midfield
In-beom Hwang (9/10)
Delivered the match-defining performance with a goal and assist in the decisive spell. His 67th-minute equaliser saw him collect Kang-in Lee’s pass and chip Kovar, before his cross from the right set up Oh for the winner.
Seung-ho Paik (7/10)
Provided the deeper midfield platform that allowed Korea’s creators to flourish, contributing to their 62% possession. Played the key pass to find In-beom Hwang in space before the winning goal was constructed.
Jae-sung Lee (7/10)
Operated effectively as the number ten in the first hour, playing the decisive pass to release Son for his one-on-one chance. Had a rebound effort saved by Kovar before being withdrawn for Hee-chan Hwang at 62′.
Tae-seok Lee (7/10)
Provided width from left wing-back and tracked Czech counter-attacks down his flank. Delivered crosses and linked with midfielders but created fewer clear opportunities than the productive right side before his 69th-minute substitution.
Kang-in Lee (8/10)
Korea’s primary creative force, threading the exquisite assist for In-beom Hwang’s equaliser between defenders. Forced Kovar into a diving save with a powerful 14th-minute strike and drew persistent attention from Krejčí throughout.
Young-woo Seol (7/10)
Offered energy and width down the right flank, combining effectively with Kang-in Lee throughout. His defensive recoveries and crossing created moments of danger as Korea dominated territorially for extended periods.
Attack
Heung-min Son (6/10)
Led the attack but endured a frustrating night despite multiple opportunities. Had a shot blocked by Hranac, fired over the bar, and was denied one-on-one by Kovar at 56′. Dropped deep to create for others but couldn’t find the finishing touch.
Subs & Manager
Hee-chan Hwang (6/10)
Replaced Jae-sung Lee at 62′ following Czech Republic’s opener and provided fresh legs in attack. Made runs to stretch the defence during the comeback period without recording a significant individual contribution.
Hyeon-gyu Oh (8/10)
Made a decisive substitute appearance, scoring the 80th-minute winner just eleven minutes after replacing Son. Anticipated In-beom Hwang’s cross and got ahead of Hranac to direct a composed left-footed finish past Kovar.
Ji-sung Eom (6/10)
Entered at 69′ for Tae-seok Lee and contributed to Korea’s defensive shape while protecting the lead. Had limited attacking involvement as the team prioritised game management in the closing stages.
Jin-gyu Kim (6/10)
Came on at 84′ to help see out the victory, replacing goalscorer In-beom Hwang. Contributed to time management through the final minutes and six minutes of stoppage time without significant individual moments.
Jin-Seob Park (6/10)
Introduced at 84′ as Korea’s fifth substitution. Tasked with preserving the lead during Czech Republic’s late push, fulfilling his brief role without incident as the team held on for victory.
Myung-Bo Hong
Selected a 3-4-2-1 formation with Kang-in Lee as the creative hub. Responded well to falling behind with decisive substitutions—Oh and Eom entered at 69′, and Oh scored eleven minutes later. Instructed his players to tighten defensively late on to secure the comeback win.
Czech Republic
Goalkeeper & Defence
Matej Kovar (7/10)
Produced an excellent individual display despite defeat, making multiple crucial saves. Denied Kang-in Lee from distance, made a double save in the 49th minute, and smothered Son’s one-on-one. Could do little about either goal conceded.
Vladimir Coufal (7/10)
Delivered the assist for Czech Republic’s opener with a powerful throw-in that found Krejčí unmarked. His long throws caused persistent problems throughout, and he overlapped effectively down the right to provide crossing opportunities.
Stepan Chaloupek (6/10)
Struggled with ball retention throughout, making errors in possession that allowed Korea to regain the ball in dangerous areas. Positioned on the right of the back three, his inconsistent distribution limited Czech Republic’s buildup play.
Robin Hranac (7/10)
Made a crucial block to deny Son in the first half, getting his body in the way of what looked like a certain goal. However, was beaten to the ball by Hyeon-gyu Oh for the winning goal, failing to track the substitute’s run.
Ladislav Krejcí (7/10)
Scored the opening goal with an excellent header from Coufal’s throw-in delivery, rising unmarked to direct the ball into the corner. Took responsibility for man-marking Kang-in Lee but couldn’t prevent the assist for the equaliser.
Jaroslav Zeleny (6/10)
Operated as left wing-back, linking with Provod and Sulc in attacks down the flank. Delivered crosses and contributed defensively without error, though his overall impact was limited compared to Coufal on the opposite side.
Midfield
Tomas Soucek (7/10)
Had a header disallowed for offside in the 77th minute that would have restored Czech Republic’s lead. Covered ground in both directions and provided aerial presence at set pieces, though the disallowed goal proved a turning point.
Alexander Sojka (6/10)
Filled a midfield role alongside Souček but had limited impact on the match’s key moments. Unable to control the midfield battle against Korea’s technically superior players before his 85th-minute substitution.
Lukas Provod (6/10)
Showed moments of quality in possession but lost the ball in dangerous areas on occasions. His creative output was limited and he was withdrawn at 64′ as part of Czech Republic’s triple change after taking the lead.
Attack
Pavel Sulc (6/10)
Operated behind Schick but struggled to make an impact against the organised Korean defence. Unable to find space between the lines and frequently dispossessed before being substituted at 64′.
Patrik Schick (5/10)
Endured a difficult evening as the lone striker, largely neutralised by Min-jae Kim and the Korean defence. Received minimal service, had no shots on target, and was withdrawn at 64′ as Koubek sought a different approach.
Subs & Manager
Tomas Chory (6/10)
Entered at 64′ to provide an aerial target with his considerable frame. Made headed flick-ons and occupied defenders in duels but could not convert any chances or change the match’s direction.
Adam Hlozek (6/10)
Introduced at 64′ and provided Czech Republic’s best chance after entering, forcing Seung-gyu Kim into a save from close range. Showed willingness to run in behind but could not find the equalising goal.
Michal Sadílek (6/10)
Delivered the free-kick that Souček headed home, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. Had a shot from inside the area saved by Kim in the 94th minute – Czech Republic’s most influential substitute despite defeat.
Mojmír Caught (6/10)
Came on at 85′ as Czech Republic’s fourth substitution for the final push. Had minimal time to influence proceedings during the closing minutes as his team chased an equaliser without creating clear opportunities.
Miroslav Koubek
Deployed a counter-attacking 3-4-2-1 with Krejci as captain and Schick up front. His triple substitution at 64′ after taking the lead saw the team adopt a deeper posture, but they conceded twice within thirteen minutes. The Soucek offside decision at 77′ proved pivotal.
