South Korea head coach Myung-Bo Hong has praised his side’s mentality after they came from a goal down to record a 2-1 win over Czech Republic in their 2026 World Cup opener.
The Asian side joined co-hosts Mexico on three points in group A with the impressive win over over their European opponents.
Despite falling behind to Ladislav Krejci’s header, In-Beom Hwang and Hyeon-Gyu Oh turned this around later in the game.
Speaking after the encounter, head coach Myung-Bo expressed satisfaction with his side’s performance as they opened their campaign with a crucial win.
“It was our first game and a very difficult one. The win itself makes me happy, but what’s even more positive is that our boys won by not giving up”, Myung-Bo saif.
“I knew that we were more than capable of winning, so at 1-1, I told the boys to keep playing the way we’ve been playing.”
South Korea are second on the group and trail Mexico, whom they face in their next match, on goal difference following the co-hosts 2-0 win over South Africa in the tournament opener.
Meanwhile, Czech Republic head coach Miroslav Koubek expressed disappointment with the result and backed his side to bounce back in their next match.
“We played very well, it could have been a draw and we could have won as well”, Koubek said.
South Korea can now book their place in the Round of 32 with a win against Mexico in their next match.
A defeat would mean they need to defeat South Africa in their final match, but a draw could still be enough to seal their place in the next round of the World Cup.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
