Key facts
- South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made key saves to help his team to a 2-1 victory over Czechia in the FIFA World Cup.
- Kim Seung-gyu credited seeing his newborn daughter awake for the first time via video call with giving him extra strength.
- Czechia scored first against the run of play in the 59th minute.
- Kim Seung-gyu made critical saves in the 82nd minute and in stoppage time to preserve the win.
- This was Kim Seung-gyu's fourth World Cup squad, and he is the first-choice keeper after recovering from a knee ligament tear.
South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu credited a video call with his newborn daughter as a source of extra strength during his team's 2-1 FIFA World Cup victory over Czechia. Despite a 15-hour time difference, Kim was able to see his baby awake for the first time hours before the match, a moment he described as uplifting.
Kim, 35, made several critical saves throughout the game, including a close-range stop in the 82nd minute and a penalty save in stoppage time, to preserve South Korea's lead. Czechia had taken the lead against the run of play in the 59th minute with a header from Ladislav Krejci, and Tomas Soucek later had a goal disallowed for offside.
This marked Kim's fourth World Cup appearance, and he is currently the first-choice goalkeeper after recovering from a knee ligament tear sustained in early 2024. He expressed hope that his comeback could inspire other injured athletes.