World Cup: South Korea completes Czechia comeback, Mexico beats South Africa as red cards fly

Well, that's all we have for matchday one of World Cup 2026.

There've been red cards aplenty, a decent amount of goals, and a victory to celebrate for the fans of the first host nation to play in the tournament.

More of the same tomorrow, as we will be blogging through all the action and the news as the remaining hosts make their debut.

Canada vs Bosnia-Herzegovina is first up at 5am AEST, then the United States will face Paraguay at 11am AEST.

Join us then, but for now this is Andrew McGarry on behalf of Simon Smale and Amanda Shalala saying thank you for joining us today and have a very good afternoon! 

Mexico and South Korea are now in prime position after the first round of games.

These two will play a mouth-watering game on Friday, June 19, with the victor odds-on to win the group.

Czechia and South Africa, on the other hand, will play the same day, with both teams desperate for a win to keep a chance to advance to the knockout stage.

South Korea has come back from a goal down to snatch a thrilling 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in their World Cup Group A opener, with substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu grabbing the winner in the 80th minute.

Korea captain Son Heung-Min wasted a number of decent chances before his Czech counterpart Ladislav Krejci broke the deadlock against the run of play in the 59th minute by heading home from a long throw-in, but the lead was short-lived as Hwang In-Beom kept his cool to dink the equaliser over the keeper 8 minutes later.

Tomas Soucek thought he had put the Czechs back in front with a header from a free kick in the 77th minute but the goal was chalked off for offside, and less than three minutes later the Koreans went ahead as Hwang turned provider, pulling the ball back for Oh to fire home from close range.

Co-hosts Mexico top the group after their 2-0 win over South Africa. They will meet the South Koreans in Guadalajara, while the Czechs take on South Africa in Atlanta.

Reuters

• Shots: 15-8 South Korea

• Shots on target: 7-4 South Korea

• Possession: 62 per cent South Korea, 38 per cent Czechia

• Pass Accuracy: 87 per cent South Korea, 70 per cent Czechia

• Corners: 5-4 Czechia

One last chance for Czechia. A free kick comes in, it's cleared, comes in again.

South Korea clears it and the whistle goes in Guadalajara!

South Korea gets the comeback win, and it's a 2-1 scoreline.

That's tough on Czechia.

South Korea wins a free kick in their own half.

That might be enough.

They clear it and Czechia is down to their last chance.

Son Heung-Min is watching from the sidelines as his team tries to close things out for the win.

South Korea are playing tight, but Czechia break on the right, the ball comes in, Michal Sadilek sweeps it towards the corner, and Kim Seung-Gyu manages another diving stop!

The keepers tonight have done Trojan work. It's still 2-1.

OK, so Czechia are looking increasingly desperate here. At least they have six additional minutes to find an equaliser.

That was nearly a chance for three for South Korea!

They hit on the break, and Hwang Hee-Chan twisted and turned but couldn't get a shot off.

It's been a solid performance from Czechia, but they need a goal and quickly.

Not sure if these moves are to break up the play or give people a breather, but South Korea make two more changes and Czechia one.

We're well into the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time.

Can South Korea hold on?

This game could be anything.

Now Czechia has to chase the game, and they have the ability.

The ball pings around the box, and Adam Hlozek gets on the outside and rips a shot for the bottom corner - but somehow Kim Seung-Gyu gets down to stop it!

What. A. Save.

The game is opening up again, and now it's South Korea who takes an opportunity!

The ball is swept down the right, a great cross, and Oh Hyeon-Gyu is there to hit it. Matej Kovar gets his hand to it, but it still goes in the net.

South Korea leads 2-1! And we're not finished yet!

South Korea are definitely not settling for a point here. Given what happened at the other end, they know they might score another goal regardless.

They are moving it around and creating some good crosses.

Adam Hlozek is causing problems for South Korea, and he has been bundled over on the left wing.

Now there is a set-piece chance for Czechia.

It's swung in perfectly, and Tomas Soucek nails the header into the net. A roar goes up! But it's offside!

NO GOAL. Still 1-1.

It's not as if the last 70-odd minutes haven't happened, but we basically start again for the final section of the game.

Can South Korea produce another moment of magic, or will Czechia get the big breakthrough to take all the points?

That goal surprised me, but not as much as the substitutions South Korea have just made. Lee Tae-Seok and Son Heung-Min come off!

And Oh Hyeon-Gyu and Eom Ju-Sung go on.

I didn't pick the star striker being taken off at the 70 minute mark!

It's time for a hydration break.

I was just going to say that Czechia had played this perfectly, tactically, forcing South Korea to chase the game and allow them to shut things down.

But now we have the equaliser!

South Korea had it in the attacking half, a nice pass forward to Hwang In-Beom, who traps it and avoids the diving keeper and defender before chipping it slowly into the corner of the net.

All of a sudden, we're back at 1-1!

South Korea has brought on Hwang Hee-Chan for Lee Jae-Sung, while Czechia has made three changes.

Off come the front line of Pavel Sulc, Patrik Schick and Lukas Provod. They are replaced by Adam Hlozek, Tomas Chory and Michael Sadilek.