South Korea won their crucial opening game, successfully climbing the eighth hurdle in progressing past the group phase. The South Korean men's soccer squad triumphed over the Czech Republic with a score of 2-1 in their initial match of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, which took place at Guadalajara Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 12th (in Korean time) due to successive goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeong-gyu.
The head coach Hong Myung-bo, as anticipated, implemented a back-three formation. Son Heung-min (LAFC) took up the role of main forward, supported by Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) and Lee Kang-in (PSG) on either side. The center midfield was composed of Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) and Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham). The defensive line included Kim Min-jae (Munich), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), and Lee Gi-hyuk (Gangwon). The fullbacks were Lee Tae-seok (Vienna) and Seol Young-woo (Zvezda), who featured in the starting lineup. Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo) wore the goalkeeper gloves.
South Korea controlled the match during the first half, holding dominance over the Czech Republic. They had more ball possession (53-47) and took more shots (8-3), yet were unable to find the back of the net.
Several chances for scoring emerged. At the 12th minute of the first half, Lee Kang-in made a deep pass into the penalty area, where Lee Jae-sung rushed to get it, and Son Heung-min subsequently took a shot that struck an opposition player before going out. In the 14th minute, Lee Kang-in advanced the ball from central field and tried a courageous long-distance effort, yet the rival goalkeeper leaped to stop it. Following 22 minutes into the opening period, a three-minute rest for hydration was taken. The match thereafter entered a more experimental stage.
During the 38th minute, Son Heung-min had possession of the ball near the penalty area and tried a right-footed long-range strike that barely went past the goalpost. In the 39th minute, Kim Min-jae stopped an opposing player's move and sent the ball to Son Heung-min, who moved forward solo and fired a quick left-footed shot from inside the box, yet it only grazed the left post.
At the end of the first half, Son Heung-min once more took possession of the ball just outside the penalty area, this time passing to Lee Tae-seok on the left side. Lee Tae-seok sent in a low cross, and Son Heung-min tried yet again to head the ball into the net, though he failed to make contact properly. The first half concluded with both teams tied at 0-0.
The second half continued along the same lines. On the fourth minute, Hwang In-beom made a crucial shot within the penalty area. The rival goalkeeper managed to save it, and Lee Jae-sung attempted to grab the rebound but was once more stopped by the keeper. By the eleventh minute, Son Heung-min received an incisive pass from Lee Jae-sung and found himself in a one-on-one situation against the goalkeeper, shooting with his left foot which was also denied by the opposing custodian.
Not scoring when they had opportunities ended up costing them. In the 14th minute, Czech player Vladimir Coufal launched a long throw-in from the right flank of South Korea's territory towards the goal, and Ladislav Krejči headed the ball into the net, ending the stalemate. Coach Hong made an adjustment in the 17th minute, replacing Lee Jae-sung with Hwang Hee-chan. South Korea quickly leveled the score. In the 22nd minute, Lee Kang-in provided a well-timed through pass, which Hwang In-beom received within the penalty area. He smoothly moved past the opponent's defender and keeper before placing the ball into the open net.
At the 24-minute mark, Coach Hong substituted Oh Hyeon-gyu for Son Heung-min and Eom Ji-sung for Lee Tae-seok. By the 33rd minute, South Korea encountered another challenge. A header from Tomas Soucek following a Czech free kick looked promising, but the assistant referee signaled offside, leading to the goal being canceled, thus enabling South Korea to avoid further trouble.
At the 35th minute, the much anticipated winner came. From the right side, Hwang In-beom passed a low ball, and Oh Hyeon-gyu jumped in to flick it, sending it into the back of the net for the leading goal. The Czech Republic responded with an intense counterplay. At the 37th minute, they had another opportunity following a long throw-in, yet goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu executed an outstanding save to block the scoring attempt. South Korea injected more vigor into the middle of the field by introducing Kim Jin-kyu and Park Jin-seop. The Czech Republic showed determination till the final whistle. During stoppage time, they managed to break through South Korea's right wing and pass the ball into the penalty area, where Mishal Sadilek fired a legitimate shot, but once again, Kim Seung-gyu extended his hand to deny the goal.
South Korea managed to hold out for the final moments to achieve a 2-1 win. In this competition, where the leading three teams qualify for the Round of 32, they picked up three important points in their opening game, putting them in a strong position to move forward in the group phase.
