Day two of the 2026 FIFA World Cup brought two matches that could not have been more different in character — one a tense tactical battle with a thrilling second-half turnaround, the other a moment of history for a nation playing on home soil for the first time.
South Korea Find a Way Back
In Guadalajara at the Estadio Chivas, South Korea and Czechia served up a gripping Group A contest in front of 44,985 fans. South Korea, managed by Myung-Bo Hong, were the better side for long stretches, but it was Heung-Min Son who was catching the headlines for the wrong reasons — blazing chance after chance wide or straight at the goalkeeper. Football is sometimes brutally unfair, and Czechia punished South Korea's wastefulness in the 59th minute. Vladimir Coufal launched a long throw deep into the penalty area, and Ladislav Krejci rose to head home. Czech Republic had done it the hard way and were in front against the run of play.
What followed was a masterclass in refusing to panic. South Korea regrouped, kept the ball, and equalised in the 67th minute through In-Beom Hwang, who cut inside beautifully from Kang-In Lee's pass and clipped a deft finish inside the far post. The crowd in Guadalajara held its breath, and thirteen minutes later, the comeback was complete. Hyeon-Gyu Oh was first to react to Hwang's low cross, turning it home from close range. Two-one. Czechia desperately sought a way back — a Tomas Soucek header had already been ruled out for offside — and goalkeeper Kim Seung-Gyu produced a stunning late save to deny Michal Sadilek in stoppage time. South Korea held on for a famous three points.
Canada's Long-Awaited Moment
Meanwhile, in Toronto — a proper football city hosting the World Cup for the first time — Canada faced Bosnia-Herzegovina in one of the most emotionally charged matches of the opening days. Canada have been World Cup regulars only sporadically in their history: appearances in 1986 and 2022 yielded six defeats from six and zero points. On home soil in 2026, all of that was about to change.
The first half was a story of Canadian frustration. Jonathan David, one of the tournament's most anticipated attackers, had a clear chance in the 17th minute and fired straight at the goalkeeper. Tani Oluwaseyi blazed over from inside the box shortly after. Then the worst possible thing happened: Bosnia-Herzegovina scored from a corner in the 21st minute. Jovo Lukic rose highest from Sead Kolasinac's flick at the near post and headed home. The silence in the stadium was palpable.
Larin Off the Bench, History Made
Canada pressed and probed throughout the second half. Nikola Katic cleared an Oluwaseyi header off the line. A deflection rattled the crossbar. The clock ticked towards the 80th minute. Then Jesse Marsch made the substitution: Cyle Larin came off the bench, and within just 121 seconds of entering the pitch, he turned Promise David's delivery into the net. The stadium exploded. Larin tried to snatch a winner in the dying seconds but was blocked, and the match ended 1-1. For Canada, their first ever World Cup point — a small number, but a huge milestone for a nation still writing its football story on the grandest of stages.
Two matches, two storylines, two nations celebrating something new. This World Cup is only just beginning.