Kovar crashes to defeat against Czechia in their first group match

Last night, PSV goalkeeper Matej Kovar played the first World Cup match for the Czech Republic since the 2006 World Cup. The PSV player, along with his team, took on South Korea in Group A.

The match in Mexican Guadalajara was, especially in the first half, not the most high-quality match. Kovar only had to make an easy save and for the rest both teams created very few chances.

When both teams went into halftime at 0-0, even boos echoed from the stands. In the second half the match really broke loose and Kovar was able to stand out.

That way, the PSV goalkeeper prevented the 1-0 from the South Korean star player Heung-Min Son five minutes after the goalkeeper had also already made two saves on a shot from Feyenoorder In-Beom Hwang and in the rebound from Jae-Sung Lee. Despite the threat from South Korea, it was Czechia that, contrary to all expectations, managed to produce the opening goal.

In the 59th minute, captain Ladislav Krejci headed in to make it 0-1 after a long throw-in by Vladimir Coufal. At that point, it was also the team’s first shot on goal, with Kovar in goal.

In the 67th minute, South Korea, via Feyenoorder Hwang, got what it was entitled to and the midfielder managed to ensure the 1-1. After a Czech goal was disallowed for offside, the South Koreans struck in minute 80 through substitute Hyeon-Gyu Oh, allowing the Asian country to take full points and leaving the Czechs empty-handed.