South Korea score late to come from behind and beat Czech Republic in Guadalajara

[p]The Taegeuk Warriors made the better start to the contest and went close to taking the lead twice inside the opening quarter of an hour. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lee-han-beom/M37m7Jm6/"]Lee Han-beom[/a] saw a close-range header flash narrowly over the bar to increase the volume inside the ground, before a powerful [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lee-kangin/YTVIJfxO/"]Lee Kang-in[/a] effort from outside the box resulted in an important save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kovar-matej/tIXuiy4C/"]Matej Kovar[/a] to keep his side on level terms.[/p][p]In response, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/soucek-tomas/8zWzYFRF/"]Tomas Soucek[/a] fired wide from a good position following a corner just before the first-half hydration break took place. [/p][p]The remainder of the first half was a slightly more subdued spectacle, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/son-heung-min/Mgg9oPeM/"]Son Heung-min[/a] will certainly feel like he should have broken the deadlock for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-korea/K6Gs7P6G/"]South Korea[/a] after 39 minutes, steering a shot wide in disappointing fashion following a very promising run. With only one shot on target witnessed inside the first 45 minutes, there was a distinct lack of quality in the final third from both sides as the score remained goalless at the interval.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hong-myung-bo/8tOg96vJ/"]Hong Myung-bo[/a]’s team began the second half positively, and Kovář was called into urgent action to deny [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hwang-in-beom/6Jo7zpif/"]Hwang In-beom[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lee-jae-sung/try8xret/"]Lee Jae-sung[/a]. The Czech goalkeeper was then required to rescue his side once again after 55 minutes, producing a superb block to prevent Son from edging South Korea in front.[/p][image alt="Match Stats" id="ec4053bf-55e0-45c2-9bd7-33c34c558b50" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="954bfcc3-479f-49fd-8926-4634ebd60881" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]There was always a danger that the latter’s string of missed opportunities could prove costly, and that’s exactly what materialised shortly before the hour mark. [b]A long throw from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/coufal-vladimir/n92l9Tl1/"]Vladimir Coufal[/a] was met by the head of Czech captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krejci-ladislav/nZ8SVvvE/"]Ladislav Krejci[/a] inside the box, and his effort flew past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kim-seung-gyu/xh6I9nD4/"]Kim Seung-gyu[/a] and into the back of the net[/b] to mark his sixth goal for his nation.[/p][p] However, the Repre’s joy was short-lived, [b]with Kovar finally beaten midway through the second half after a composed strike from Hwang In-beom set up a grandstand finale.[/b][/p][p]Drama struck with less than a quarter of an hour remaining when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/klose-miroslav/tO31cZrF/"]Miroslav Koubek[/a]’s side thought they had retaken the lead through an excellent Soucek header, but the goal was immediately ruled out for offside.[/p][p]Just three minutes later and with full-time looming, substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oh-hyun-gyu/xrhecmZN/"]Oh Hyeon-gyu[/a] put South Korea in front for the first time in the game [b]after receiving a superb pass from Hwang In-beom and turning the ball home from just a few yards out, despite Kovar’s best efforts.[/b][/p][p]The action certainly didn’t end there, either. The Czechs continued to look dangerous from set-pieces and a close-range strike from substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hlozek-adam/2FUsDXpd/"]Adam Hlozek[/a] was somehow turned around the post by Kim Seung-gyu.[/p][p]Nevertheless, South Korea held on to claim all three points and put themselves in a strong position ahead of their clash with co-hosts [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a] in their second group match next Friday. Meanwhile, their opponents’ six-match unbeaten streak has come to an end, and they will be desperate to secure their first win of the tournament when they take on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]South Africa[/a] on Thursday.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lee-kang/hQXSnRB3/"]Lee Kang-in[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-korea/K6Gs7P6G/"]South Korea[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Player ratings" id="b003b821-df0d-4adf-b635-78a0841ea1d0" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="e9e7af80-8f84-4dea-8f67-1a1b63a647f2" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/czech-republic-6LHwBDGU/south-korea-K6Gs7P6G/summary/stats/?mid=CGdvIm6K"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]