South Korea produced a stunning comeback to defeat Czech Republic 2-1 in an entertaining Group A clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Guadalajara.

It was a match that could have gone either way, but in the end, the better team got the result they deserved. While the scoreline suggests a comfortable victory, the contest was far closer than that. Both teams were well matched and showed why they qualified for football’s biggest stage.

Here are the major talking points from the game.

South Korea’s Substitutions Changed the Match

One of the biggest reasons behind South Korea’s victory was the impact of their substitutions.

Head coach Hong Myung-bo made brave decisions when his team needed inspiration. The introduction of fresh legs gave South Korea greater energy and attacking purpose in the final stages.

The most surprising decision was taking off captain Son Heung-min, who had been South Korea’s biggest attacking threat throughout the match. Although Son failed to score, he was unlucky on several occasions and constantly troubled the Czech defence.

Many expected South Korea to struggle after his departure, but the opposite happened. The substitutes injected new life into the attack and helped turn the game around.

Hwang Hee-chan added pace and direct running, while Hyeon-Gyu Oh emerged as the hero by scoring the winning goal in the 80th minute.

Sometimes great coaching is about making difficult decisions, and this one paid off.

South Korea Dominated Despite Falling Behind

The Czech Republic took the lead in the 59th minute through Ladislav Krejci’s powerful header from a long throw.

However, the goal did not reflect the flow of the match.

South Korea had been the better side from the opening whistle. They created more chances, controlled possession and played the more attractive football.

At half-time, South Korea had already registered eight shots compared to the Czech Republic’s two. Son, Lee Kang-in and Hwang In-beom repeatedly found space but lacked the finishing touch.

When Czech Republic scored from their first shot on target, it felt harsh on the Koreans. Fortunately for them, they continued to believe in their game plan and were eventually rewarded.

Hwang In-Beom Ran the Show

While Hyeon-Gyu Oh grabbed the headlines with the winner, Hwang In-beom was arguably South Korea’s best player.

The midfielder controlled the tempo of the game and constantly linked defence with attack.

His excellent equaliser in the 67th minute changed the momentum completely. After receiving a clever pass from Lee Kang-in, he showed outstanding composure to beat the goalkeeper with a delicate finish.

Beyond the goal, Hwang’s influence in midfield was immense as he dictated play and ensured South Korea remained in control.

Czech Republic Were Punished for Sitting Deep

After taking the lead, Czech Republic appeared more focused on protecting their advantage than searching for a second goal.

The decision allowed South Korea to push forward in numbers and maintain pressure.

The Czechs thought they had regained the lead through Tomas Soucek, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside. It was a warning South Korea took seriously.

As the pressure increased, Czech Republic struggled to keep possession and eventually paid the price.

Goalkeeper Kim Produced the Match-Winning Save

Every comeback needs a defining moment, and South Korea’s came three minutes after scoring the winner.

Adam Hlozek found himself with a golden opportunity to equalise in the 83rd minute, but goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu produced a brilliant save at his near post.

Had that chance gone in, the match could have ended very differently.

Instead, Kim’s heroics preserved South Korea’s lead and ensured all three points stayed with the Asian side.

Conclusion

South Korea deserved their victory, but the Czech Republic made them work hard for it.

The game was closely contested and featured quality football from both teams. However, South Korea’s superior attacking play, midfield control and game-changing substitutions ultimately proved decisive.

The courage to replace Son Heung-min, despite his influence on the game, demonstrated the confidence of the coaching staff and turned out to be a masterstroke.

With this comeback win, South Korea have announced themselves as serious contenders to progress from Group A, while Czech Republic will be left wondering what might have been after letting a valuable lead slip away.

FIFA World Cup Day 1 Highlights© AFP

Donald Trump is set to be absent from the Los Angeles Stadium when USA begin their 2026 World Cup against Paraguay on Friday night.

The US are one of three co-hosts staging the tournament in North America alongside Mexico and Canada, and each nation’s opening game will feature its own opening ceremony.

State figureheads usually appear at their country’s first match of the tournament and Trump was expected to be in the stands. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attended Qatar’s opening game against Ecuador in 2022, and Vladimir Putin watched Russia’s first game of the 2018 World Cup against Saudi Arabia in Moscow.

But it has been widely reported that the US president will not attend, barring a late U-turn, instead leaving secretary of state Mark Rubio to travel from Washington with transport secretary Sean Duffy and secretary of homeland security Markwayne Mullin.

Trump will be at the White House on Saturday evening, however, to host a UFC event, dubbed UFC Freedom, in celebration of his 80th birthday and the USA’s 250th anniversary.

The US president has regularly appeared at major sporting events during his two terms. He flew in to the Ryder Cup in New York last year and was present at the Club World Cup final in New Jersey last summer, inserting himself into Chelsea’s trophy celebrations on stage.

His appearances have not always been welcomed. Trump was loudly booed at the NBA Finals last week after being shown on big screens. His vice-president, JD Vance, was booed at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan earlier this year.

The start of the tournament has been clouded in controversy around high ticket prices and America’s strict border controls. Fans from more than half the qualified countries need visas to enter the United States, adding cost and uncertainty for travellers already wary of tight border enforcement.

The Trump administration also denied a Somali referee entry over alleged links to “suspected members of terror organisations”.

Indian sports lost one of its most decorated servants on Thursday night as shooting coach and multiple Asian Games gold medal winner Jaspal Rana died due to a heart problem. Rana, who was also the coach of double Olympic medal-winner Manu Bhaker, died at a mere 49 years of age after battling cardiac complications. As the news of Rana’s death emerged, his Instagram bio came to the fore, leaving fans stunned by how much Rana was in sync with the reality of life. His Instagram bio became a major talking point on social media as fans and the sporting fraternity mourned his passing.

Rana’s Instagram bio read: “Jab mrityu nishchit ho, swayam ko achhe kaaran ke liye samarpit karna sarvottam hai (When death is certain, it is best to dedicate oneself to a good cause).”

In his own way, Rana highlighted that since death is an absolute certainty, wasting our limited time on trivial pursuits is meaningless. The most honourable way to live is to dedicate our lives to a noble cause that helps others and creates a lasting legacy.

The shooting coach is survived by his wife, Reena Rana, daughter Devanshi, son Yuvraj, father Narayan Singh Rana, and his two siblings, Sushma Singh and Subhash Rana. According to National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Rana breathed his last at a Delhi hospital on Thursday night. Sources said he died of complications related to the heart.

He recently underwent a medical procedure after falling ill during the Indian contingent’s return flight from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany. Upon landing in New Delhi, he was immediately hospitalised and had a stent installed to clear a cardiac blockage. According to sources, despite initial reports of him being stable, his condition deteriorated.

Rana was serving as the high-performance coach for Indian pistol shooters. The former shooter, who was considered a maverick in Indian shooting circles for his outspoken demeanour and passion for the sport, was a prodigal talent and won his first national-level gold at just 12 years of age.

His international breakthroughs were the 25m gold medals at the 1994 Commonwealth and Asian Games.

In fact, the Asiad gold was India’s first in 16 years after Raja Randhir Singh opened the account in 1978. Randhir had passed away recently after battling age-related ailments.

Rana’s biggest moment as a shooter came in the 2006 Asian Games when he snared three gold medals and a silver in a sensational performance that included equalling the world record at the time.

With PTI Inputs

Featured Video Of The Day

IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss

It would be fitting if Ireland’s first win in the T20 World Cup came against the Scots given they denied the Irish a place in the tournament two years ago as they pulled off a shock victory to reach the tournament for the first time.

Lewis said there was “major heartbreak” in the Ireland camp after that sore defeat that forced the squad to have to watch the World Cup from home.

Ireland are in a better place now and come into the tournament off the back of a productive Tri-Nations series in Clontarf where they beat both Pakistan and the West Indies.

“The series was a great success, we’ve got the results behind us. Confidence is high and that’s exactly what you want going into a World Cup,” Lewis added.

Lloyd Tennant’s side are ranked ninth in the world but are in a tough Group B which also has hosts England, holders New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies alongside the Scots.

They will face all five sides with the top two in the group moving through to the semi-finals where they will face the top two from Group A.

Scotland won by 39 runs the last time the two sides met in Nepal in January and Lewis believes getting off to a good start in their first game is “massive” for Ireland in terms of momentum.

“There’s a big rivalry between us and them. They’ve probably got one up on us at the moment after beating us in Nepal. I think we’re looking good and we’re really excited for it.

“They’ve got a new addition in Kirsty Gordon [a former England spinner] which is a boost for them.

“If we get the win, then you never know against England.”

NHL fans on social media reacted to John Tortorella’s fiery response when asked if he considered pulling Carter Hart for Adin Hill in the third period of Game 5.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday. The Canes now lead the series 3-2.

Carter Hart had another rough outing, allowing 4 goals on just 24 shots for a brutal .833 save percentage. He’s now allowed at least 4 goals in each of the first 5 games of the final, a tough stretch for the veteran.

When asked post-game if he considered switching to Adin Hill, Tortorella responded bluntly:

“Oh Christ, that might be the stupidest question I’ve ever heard,” Tortorella said.

Here’s how fans on X (formerly called Twitter) reacted to John Tortorella’s response. One tweeted:

“So done with this guy.”

Another chimed in:

“If Torts wanted to make a goalie switch, this was probably the game to do it. I just don’t think that you can start a guy cold in a do-or-die game.”

Here are some of the other top reactions on X:

“Stupid for going to the goalie that got us our first cup? What?” a third fan wrote.”

“Torts It doesn’t matter anymore. Hart Needs a break. He has played way too many consecutive games and he is exhausted and tired. Hill has to come in. It doesn’t matter what you want. It’s what needs to happen. Hart isn’t in the zone ATM,” one X user opined.

“I do not have confidence Hill would be any better. However, to say that’s a stupid question seems like a really odd thing to say,” another chimed in.

“Well, he’s not signed past the playoffs!” added another.

Hurricanes move one step closer to Stanley Cup after Game 5 win over Golden Knights

On Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 at Lenovo Center. The Hurricanes lead the series 3-2 and are only a win away from clinching their second title.

Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring for the Golden Knights on the power play at 8:52 of the first period. Jordan Staal tied it 1-1 for the Hurricanes before heading into the second period.

Andrei Svechnikov increased the Hurricanes’ lead to 2-1 on the power play at 11:58 of the second period. Sebastian Aho increased the lead to 3-1 before heading into the third period.

Svechnikov scored his second on the power play to make it 4-1 for the Hurricanes at 11:08 of the third frame. Dorofeyev scored his second for the final scoreline of 4-2. Game 6 returns to Vegas on Sunday.