Korea rallies for 2-1 victory, setting up crucial Group A clash with Mexico

Win over Mexico could clinch round-of-32 spot ahead of schedule; teams that win World Cup opener advance more than 60% of the time

Fans cheer at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Friday after South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in Group A of the 2026 North America World Cup. [Yonhap]
Fans cheer at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Friday after South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in Group A of the 2026 North America World Cup. [Yonhap]

South Korea's national football team heads into its Group A second match against Mexico with renewed confidence after a hard-fought comeback victory over the Czech Republic.

Coach Hong Myung-bo's side defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 on Friday in their opening match of the 2026 North America World Cup, securing three points. The win in what had been widely regarded as the group's pivotal fixture gives Korea a clear advantage in the race for the round of 32.

The victory carries particular weight because it came in the most pressure-laden match of the group stage. From the moment the draw was made, Group A was seen as a three-way contest among Mexico, South Korea and the Czech Republic for two knockout-stage berths. Mexico was considered the favorite to top the group, with most analysts expecting Korea and the Czech Republic to fight over the remaining spot. The win over the Czech Republic is therefore worth more than three points alone — historically, teams that win their World Cup opener have advanced to the round of 32 or better more than 60 percent of the time.

South Korea's own World Cup record underscores how much the result matters. Korea has advanced past the group stage three times — in 2002, 2010 and 2022. Of those, the team won its opening match twice: against Poland (2-0) at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup and against Greece (2-0) at the 2010 South Africa tournament. At the most recent Qatar World Cup, Korea drew its opener 0-0 against Uruguay, leaving every scenario open until the final group-stage match.

Losing the opener, by contrast, makes the path to the knockout stage extremely difficult. Across eight previous World Cups, teams that lost their first match advanced as group runners-up or better only 14 times — a success rate of just 11 percent. South Korea itself was eliminated in the group stage in all five tournaments where it lost its opening game.

With three points already banked, Korea can now significantly improve its chances of advancing simply by avoiding defeat against Mexico. Even a draw would leave the team in a strong position heading into the final group match. A second consecutive win, meanwhile, could effectively clinch a round-of-32 berth ahead of schedule.

The psychological burden on the squad has also eased. Opening matches at the World Cup always carry enormous pressure, since the result shapes the difficulty of everything that follows. Hong himself had stressed before the Czech Republic match that "getting the first button right is crucial." Korea did exactly that, and the team can now breathe easier.

Mexico, however, is a very different opponent. Where the Czech Republic relied on set pieces and aerial dominance — a classic European style built around tall players — Mexico is a powerful North American side that favors quick passing, technical play and wide attacking runs. The host-nation premium adds another layer of difficulty.

Mexico has already shown its quality, beating South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener with a composed performance backed by a fervent home crowd. The upcoming Korea-Mexico match is shaping up to be a de facto battle for the top of Group A.

Korea must carry its strengths from the Czech Republic match into the next contest. The attacking combination of Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in is expected to pose a real threat to Mexico's defense. Against the Czech Republic, Korea showed the composure to turn the game around after conceding first — a quality that will be just as important against Mexico. The midfield work rate, anchored by Hwang In-beom, and the defensive organization were also impressive. Having weathered the Czech Republic's aerial threat, the squad can draw on that experience as a source of confidence.

The dangers are equally clear. Mexico will effectively be playing a home match, with the vast majority of the crowd behind them, and Korea's ability to stay composed in that environment will be critical. Mexico also possesses superior ball retention compared to the Czech Republic, meaning the speed of Korea's midfield press and defensive transitions could prove decisive.

Korea does have one significant piece of good fortune heading into the match. Mexico captain and first-choice center back Montes was sent off in stoppage time of the South Africa opener after fouling a South African counterattack, ruling him out of the Group A second match against Korea. Mexican media had described Montes — not striker Jimenez — as the team's true ace and "the player who will determine the success or failure of this tournament," warning that he was someone Korea would need to watch closely. Korea will now face Mexico without their most formidable defensive presence.

Hong's ambitions extend beyond simply reaching the round of 32. At last month's squad announcement press conference, the coach said the team's primary goal was to advance "from a good position." If Korea tops the group, both the round-of-32 match — against one of the third-place finishers from Groups C, E, F, H or I — and a potential round-of-16 fixture could be played in Mexico City without any long-distance travel. For Korea, this World Cup could truly become a "Mexico World Cup."

Finishing second in the group would mean a round-of-32 match in Los Angeles against the Group B runner-up — from a group comprising Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland. A third-place finish would send Korea to Boston to face the Group E winner (Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast or Ecuador) or to Seattle to face the Group G winner (Belgium, Egypt, Iran or New Zealand), bringing both tougher opponents and significantly greater travel demands.

The match that could define Korea's World Cup journey takes place June 19. Both Korea and Mexico have one win apiece, but Mexico leads on goal difference. Hong said the team would prepare thoroughly for what remains, adding: "It's a crucial match for reaching the round of 32, and we will be ready."


dingdong@heraldcorp.com