Although he missed a scoring opportunity, Hong Myung-bo believes Son Heung-min has done his best.

South Korea, nicknamed the "Taeguk Warriors," rallied from behind to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in their opening Group A match of the 2026 World Cup, thanks to goals from Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyun-kyu. Head coach Hong Myung-bo stated that although Son Heung-min missed several scoring opportunities in the game, he still believes the striker gave his all.

In the 59th minute of the second half, Cao Far threw the ball into the penalty area, and Krejci headed it into the net, giving the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead. In the 67th minute, Lee Kang-in played a through ball to Hwang In-beom, who curled a shot into the net to level the score at 1-1 for South Korea.

In the 80th minute, Hwang In-beom made a cross, and Oh Hyun-kyu received the ball and slotted it home, giving South Korea a 2-1 lead.

Ultimately, South Korea came from behind to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in this crucial match, securing three important points.

South Korean head coach Hong Myung-bo said, "Before the match, I conveyed two messages to the players: never give up and unite as one. Whether on or off the field, we must fight as a whole."

When discussing the performance of Tottenham Hotspur legend Son Heung-min, Hong Myung-bo said, "Son Heung-min is our best player and also a very consistent captain. We believe he has given his all."

In addition, South Korea will face Mexico in their next group stage match, while Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in their first match, thanks to goals from Quiniones and Raul Jiménez.

Hong Myung-bo pointed out, "Both teams have secured 3 points, so the next game will be crucial."

Oh Hyun-kyu, who helped South Korea win, said, "I can't describe my emotions in words. My body temperature once rose to 38 degrees Celsius, so I wasn't in good physical condition. I even doubted whether I could play in the game."

In addition, Czech captain Krejci said in an interview, "We are still adapting to the team's current tactical system, and this is our first World Cup in a long time, so it is normal to feel a little nervous."

"But for us, the most important thing is to keep our defensive formation compact. We must make it as difficult as possible for the opponent to get close to our goal."

Image source: Internet