The 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered more memorable moments as South Korea fought back to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1, while co-hosts Canada secured a historic first-ever World Cup point with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At Estadio Guadalajara, South Korea overcame an early second-half setback to launch their Group A campaign with an impressive victory. Despite controlling possession and creating numerous chances, the Koreans fell behind in the 59th minute when Czech defender Ladislav Krejci headed home from a long throw.
The Asian side responded strongly, with midfielder Hwang In-Beom emerging as the driving force behind the comeback. Hwang leveled the score in the 67th minute after combining with Kang-In Lee before calmly finishing past the goalkeeper.
South Korea completed the turnaround ten minutes from time when substitute Hyeon-Gyu Oh scored from close range following another attacking move orchestrated by Hwang. A late Czech effort from Tomas Soucek was ruled out for offside, sealing all three points for the Koreans.
Head coach Myung-Bo Hong praised his team’s resilience, while match-winner Hyeon-Gyu Oh revealed he had almost missed the game after battling illness before kickoff. The victory leaves South Korea level on points with Mexico at the top of Group A.
Meanwhile, in Toronto, co-hosts Canada celebrated a landmark achievement after earning their first-ever World Cup point with a hard-fought draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia took the lead through Jovo Lukic, who headed in from a corner during the first half. However, Canada maintained pressure throughout the match and found a deserved equalizer when substitute Cyle Larin scored shortly after entering the game.
Larin’s goal, Canada’s first on home soil in a FIFA World Cup, sparked jubilant celebrations among supporters at BMO Field and kept the hosts firmly in contention for a place in the knockout stages.
Midfielder Ismael Kone was named Player of the Match after an influential display in midfield, helping Canada control possession and create several scoring opportunities.
While Bosnia extended their unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions, the result marked a significant milestone for Canadian football. After losing all six matches in their previous World Cup appearances, Canada finally secured a point on the sport’s biggest stage, boosting confidence ahead of their next Group B fixture against Qatar.
Both results provided an early indication of the growing competitiveness of the tournament, with South Korea strengthening its credentials as a potential surprise package and Canada taking an important step forward in its quest to make history on home soil.
The United States launched their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their opening Group D match, highlighted by a first-half brace from striker Folarin Balogun.
The co-hosts made an early breakthrough when Paraguay’s Damian Bobadilla inadvertently turned a cross into his own net in the seventh minute. Balogun then doubled the lead midway through the first half after connecting with a pinpoint cross from Christian Pulisic before adding a second goal just before halftime with a powerful finish.
The victory marked a historic start for the Americans, with four goals representing their highest tally in a World Cup match. Balogun also became the first U.S. player since the 1930 World Cup to score twice in a single tournament game.
The only concern for the hosts came when captain Christian Pulisic was substituted at halftime due to calf tightness. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed optimism that the injury would not keep the star forward out of the team’s next match.
Paraguay improved after the break and pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute through substitute Mauricio. However, the United States maintained control and sealed the win late on when Gio Reyna scored with a superb strike from the edge of the penalty area.
U.S. captain Tim Ream praised the team’s performance, describing it as the ideal start to the tournament, while Paraguay acknowledged they were outplayed and vowed to improve in their remaining group-stage matches.
Played before a sold-out crowd of more than 70,000 spectators in Los Angeles, the match attracted several high-profile guests, including Tom Cruise and David Beckham.
The result gives the United States an early advantage in Group D ahead of their next fixture against Australia, while Paraguay will seek to bounce back against Turkey.
