South Korea win opener as manager dispute casts shadow

South Korea kicked off their 2026 World Cup campaign with a victory, but the opening win has been clouded by controversy surrounding the national team manager (1). Details of the dispute remain sparse, yet it has dominated post-match discussion and threatens to distract from what should be a positive start in the tournament. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, who made the personal sacrifice of missing his daughter's birth to be with the squad in Mexico, delivered when it mattered most. He produced a huge save in the dying moments to preserve the result after two late goals secured the win against Czech Republic. Your team got the job done, but the mood around the camp is far from settled.