GUADALAJARA: It was the tale of “Beauty and the Beast” that lit up the Estadio Guadalajara on Thursday, with South Korea’s prettier, stylish football triumphing over the Czech Republic’s rugged, route-one tactics in an adrenaline-fuelled World Cup encounter.

South Korea were more than worthy of the 2-1 win, showing their trademark indomitable spirit with a come-from-behind victory to join Mexico atop Group ‘A’, all packed into the scintillating second half of a match the Asian side dominated.

The Koreans had their game plan and stuck to it, taking it to the Czechs throughout, with silky, intricate play and precision passes that put their opponents on the back foot.

Talisman Son Heung-min got the lion’s share of the chances, yet — frustratingly — none of the goals.

South Korea demonstrated their World Cup pedigree, present in 11 successive tournaments and unbeaten in qualifying with a whopping 40 goals scored, delivering on Thursday an early message of intent that a deep run could be on the cards.

Son worked seamlessly with the impressive Lee Kang-in and Lee Jae-sung to create a host of first-half chances, with the trio combining darting runs through the middle with a succession of dangerous pass-and-go moves that they just could not finish.

But in a game of stark contrasts, it was the Czechs and their direct, physical play who scored first through Ladislav Krejci just before the hour with a perfectly timed header from a 35-metre, slingshot-like throw from Vladimir Coufal.

South Korea were buoyed by a largely Mexican crowd in Guadalajara that was clearly rooting for them.

They kept cool heads and levelled eight minutes later, when Hwang In-beom picked up Lee Kang-ins neat through pass and turned brilliantly to fool two defenders, before deftly lifting the ball over advancing goalkeeper Matej Kovar.

They seized the momentum and battled hard for the win, going ahead after 80 minutes when Hwang turned provider with a precise low cross for substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu to turn into the net.

Strong and dangerous on almost every set-piece, the Czechs stuck with what they knew best as they pushed for an equaliser in a dramatic finish, with Adam Hlozek close to scoring from another gargantuan throw and Tomas Soucek’s headed goal from a free kick disallowed for offside.

South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo commended his players for their fighting spirit and an approach that went just as he had instructed.

“Before the match I gave the players two messages,” he said. “To not give up until the end, and to unite as one and play together.”

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2026