Korea's come-from-behind win over the Czech Republic was completed by Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) with one goal and one assist and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Beşiktaş) with the winner. But the last bulwark that protected the 2-1 lead to the end was goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo). Even the Czech coach marveled at Kim's saves after he denied two decisive shots at the end.
The Korea men's national soccer team led by coach Hong Myung-bo beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage in a first-round match at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, at 11 a.m. on the 12th (Korea time). Korea conceded first to Ladislav Krejčí in the 14th minute of the second half, but Hwang In-beom equalized in the 22nd and Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the go-ahead in the 35th to turn the game around.
◇ In the 37th minute of the second half and stoppage time, saves that preserved 3 points
The Czechs launched a fierce counterattack after Korea took the lead. In the 37th minute of the second half, a long throw-in and a scramble in front of goal threatened Korea's net. Adam Hložek tried a left-footed shot from close range, but Kim Seung-gyu instinctively went low and reached out to block it. Had it gone in, it would have been 2-2.
Kim Seung-gyu's focus did not waver in second-half stoppage time either. Czech midfielder Michal Sadílek fired a right-footed shot inside the penalty area, but Kim blocked it again with his body. Kim stopped 3 of the 4 shots on target the Czech Republic recorded, and Korea held on for a one-goal win.
Czech coach Miroslav Koubek directly mentioned Kim Seung-gyu's saves after the match. In a news conference, he said, "We also had scoring chances, but I don't know how a goalkeeper can stop a shot struck from that close," adding, "Korea was the better team."
Foreign media also highlighted Kim Seung-gyu's late saves. The Guardian assessed that Korea showed a technical edge but noted that Kim preserved the win with important saves late in the second half. Reuters reported that Korea came from behind to beat the Czech Republic and rose to the top of Group A with Mexico, and The Associated Press reported that Korea overturned the game after conceding first in the second half with goals by Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu.
◇ "I'm happy to help the team"... the goalkeeper returns from injury
After the match, Kim Seung-gyu said, "Among the players, we talked a lot about how we had to take the first game," adding, "We conceded first, but I'm very happy we all came from behind to get the result." He also said, "We were dictating the game, and even though the opponent didn't have many chances, we conceded first," adding, "If it had ended that way, it could have been on the defenders or the goalkeeper." He continued, "We scored the go-ahead, and I'm glad my saves at the end helped the team even a little."
He did not hide his regret about the goal conceded. From the right, the Czechs hurled a long throw-in that Krejčí finished with a header. Kim Seung-gyu said, "From our analysis, we knew their strengths were set pieces and long throw-ins," adding, "Usually, for teams that use long throw-ins, one or two players are targets and the rest look for second balls, but the Czechs had tall players drawing attention and even the runners from deep were physically strong." He added, "It feels like we got caught by a pattern we already knew."
Kim Seung-gyu took the World Cup stage for the fourth time after the 2014 Brazil, 2018 Russia and 2022 Qatar tournaments. But the road to this tournament was not smooth. In 2024, Kim suffered a right knee ACL injury and underwent long-term rehabilitation. At one point, even his World Cup participation was uncertain.
Kim Seung-gyu said, "Until a year ago, I was wondering whether I could return to the field," adding, "Overcoming that injury, starting at the World Cup and getting a win feels like those past days are being rewarded." He continued, "Rehab is really hard and there are times you get exhausted," adding, "I hope players recovering from injuries can draw even a little strength from me."
◇ "I locked eyes with my daughter and felt stronger"... family and fan congratulations continue
The win carries special meaning for Kim Seung-gyu as well. In 2024, Kim married model Kim Jin-kyung, and earlier this month they had a daughter. Unable to be there for the birth because of World Cup preparations, Kim had said before the tournament that he wanted to give his wife and daughter good results as a gift.
His daughter gave him strength on the day of the Czech match, too. Kim Seung-gyu said, "Before coming to the stadium today, I had a video call with my daughter," adding, "Until now I had only seen her sleeping, but today, amazingly, her eyes were fully open and we made eye contact a lot. It gave me a lot of strength."
As Kim Seung-gyu's performance spread, congratulatory comments flooded Kim Jin-kyung's social media (SNS). On a recent post with a photo of their daughter, responses included, "Dalbam is a bundle of good fortune," "Dad protected the win today," and "Dalbam's dad saved the nation." Fans celebrated both Kim's saves and the news of his daughter's birth.
In Japan, too, Kim Seung-gyu's performance drew attention. Kim currently plays for FC Tokyo in the J1 League. Among Japanese fans, his late save against the Czech Republic drew reactions calling him "FC Tokyo's guardian deity." Earlier, FC Tokyo officially announced Kim's World Cup call-up and emphasized that after a major injury he resurrected his career at the club and made it back to the World Cup stage.
Kim Seung-gyu said the atmosphere against Mexico could differ from the Czech match. He said, "It seems the players all watched the opener," adding, "From the national anthems, I felt South Africa lost its edge and the momentum shifted." He added, "We'll need to prepare for that aspect in the next game."