Czechia was exhausted, and Korea kept running... Coach Hong Myung-bo cites the "effect of high altitude" as the driving force behind the comeback victory.

*This content was translated by AI.

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national football team, cited "high-altitude acclimatization training" as one of the driving forces behind the comeback victory against Czechia.

On the 12th at 11 a.m. (Korea time), South Korea secured a 2-1 comeback victory against Czechia in the first match of Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup CONCACAF qualifiers, held at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Guadalajara, Mexico.

South Korea was drawn into Group A along with host nation Mexico, Czechia, and South Africa. With this victory, South Korea moved to second place in Group A, chasing the top-ranked Mexico, which defeated South Africa 2-0 in the opening match. Czechia and South Africa, in third and fourth place respectively, both have one loss.

Since all four teams in Group A are considered to have similar strength, the competition must be fierce. In particular, the result of the first match could have a significant impact on the group stage dynamics. For South Korea, this was a match where points were essential. Fortunately, they secured three points in this crucial game.

According to NEWSIS, Coach Hong Myung-bo said in a post-match press conference, "It was the first match of the World Cup, so the players were a bit nervous. However, they showed what they had prepared. I want to sincerely congratulate the players who won."

He continued, "Before the match, I gave the players two instructions. One was 'let's not give up until the end,' and the other was 'let's play as one.' The players fulfilled both of these, so I attribute the victory to them."

South Korean football has not won its first match in a World Cup group stage since the 2010 South Africa World Cup, marking a 16-year gap. This victory also holds great significance for Coach Hong Myung-bo personally. In his second World Cup challenge as the national team head coach, he secured his first victory as a manager in just four World Cup finals matches. Hong had also led the South Korean national team at the 2014 Brazil World Cup, but they were eliminated in the group stage with one draw and two losses.

Hong Myung-bo stated, "Even as a player, I first participated in the 1990 World Cup and achieved my first victory in 2002. I am happy as a coach about today's victory. The players who worked hard made this happen. I understand that this is the first World Cup group stage victory in 16 years. I can only tell the players they did well."

It was truly a thrilling comeback victory. South Korea maintained favorable momentum throughout the match but struggled to create goals. Although they led 8-2 in shots during the first half, they failed to score and entered the second half tied 0-0.

Instead, they conceded first. In the 14th minute of the second half, they allowed a header goal from Czech defender Ladislav Krejčí (Wolverhampton). Despite controlling the flow of the game, they found themselves trailing 0-1 in a difficult situation.

What saved South Korea was midfielder Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord). In the 22nd minute of the second half, Hwang In-beom scored the equalizing goal, rescuing the team from crisis. A fantastic pass from 'Golden Boy' Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) collapsed the Czech defensive line, and Hwang In-beom found the ball inside the penalty box.

Opposing goalkeepers and defenders quickly swarmed to block Hwang In-beom. However, he remained calm. Through composed individual skill, he deceived three opposing players, including the goalkeeper, and shook the net with a delicate chip shot.

The final savior was forward Oh Hyeon-gyu (Beşiktaş). Oh Hyeon-gyu, who was substituted in to replace 'Captain' Son Heung-min (LAFC), scored the go-ahead goal. In the 35th minute of the second half, Oh Hyeon-gyu, positioned in front of the goal, finished off a pass from Hwang In-beom on the wing. Although Oh Hyeon-gyu was positioned behind the opposing defenders, he took one more step to create a shooting opportunity and put an end to the match.

The score was overturned to 2-1. South Korea held off Czechia's attacks until the very end, securing valuable three points from their first World Cup match.

It was also a victory in a test of stamina. Although South Korea conceded the first goal, they regained momentum from the middle of the second half. As time passed, the Czech players appeared noticeably exhausted, while the South Korean players moved busily until the end for the comeback. It seemed that the high-altitude acclimatization training prepared before the World Cup had taken effect.

Having already secured qualification for the World Cup finals, South Korea had made various preparations for the CONCACAF World Cup. One of them was high-altitude acclimatization. South Korea's first group stage match against Czechia and their second match against Mexico will both be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, at an altitude of over 1,500 meters. To prepare for this, Coach Hong Myung-bo set up a camp in Salt Lake City, USA, at an altitude of around 1,400 meters starting from the 18th of last month, focusing on high-altitude acclimatization.

In contrast, Czechia secured their World Cup finals ticket with difficulty after going through the European qualifiers playoffs. Consequently, their preparation period was short. Their base camp was set up not in a high-altitude area but in Mansfield, near Dallas, Texas, USA.

Coach Hong Myung-bo acknowledged the effect of high-altitude acclimatization. He stated, "I believe the high altitude had a significant impact on the result. Czechia was exhausted in the second half, and we were able to push them harder physically. In terms of playing offensively, the high-altitude acclimatization training proved to be a great success."

Today's ace Son Heung-min attempted six shots but failed to score. However, Coach Hong Myung-bo expressed unwavering trust. He said, "He is a player who must naturally play in such an important match. As captain, he performed well with what he prepared. Missing the chance is not a major issue. Since his scoring sense is good, I am not worried."

He also expressed gratitude for Hwang In-beom, who scored the equalizing goal. Coach Hong Myung-bo praised him, saying, "I thought he would play about 60 minutes, but he had the will to play a bit longer. As a result, he scored and greatly helped the team."

Regarding Oh Hyeon-gyu, who scored the go-ahead goal, he was evaluated as "one of the cards we prepared. Although his condition was not good before the tournament, he worked hard to improve his condition and showed good performance."

Now, Coach Hong Myung-bo's focus turns to the second group stage match against Mexico on the 19th. Hong Myung-bo said, "I watched the opening matches of Mexico and South Africa. Since both we and Mexico secured three points, the second match has become important. Mexico showed good performance and received enthusiastic support from home fans."

He continued, "It will be a big burden for us, but it is somewhat fortunate that we played a match here. Today's victory has created a very positive aspect. Now that the first match is over, we will prepare well for the remaining period to get ready for the match against Mexico."

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*This content was translated by AI.