On June 12, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup match held in North America, Kim Seung-kyu played a crucial role in South Korea's victory, which has sparked a wave of congratulations and support for his partner, Kim Jin-kyung, who recently welcomed their first daughter.
Fans took to social media to comment on a photo of their daughter, Dalbam, shared by Kim Jin-kyung on June 10. Comments included, "Dad made South Korea win!" and "Dalbam, your dad is amazing!" as well as "Dalbam is a lucky charm!" and "Kim Seung-kyu saved South Korean soccer!" Earlier, Kim Jin-kyung had posted, "It’s been a week since Dalbam was born. The pain was beyond imagination. I still can’t believe this little being has shattered my capital T strength. Mom and Dad will do well, I love you."
In the match, South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 at the Estadio Guadalajara in Mexico. According to Yonhap News, the Czech Republic took the lead with a header from Ladislav Krejci in the 59th minute. However, South Korea responded with goals from Hwang In-beom in the 67th minute and Oh Hyun-kyu in the 80th minute, ultimately securing three points.
South Korea missed several scoring opportunities in the first half, while the Czech Republic also failed to capitalize on good chances in the second half, particularly two shots that were saved by Kim Seung-kyu.
Kim Seung-kyu solidified South Korea's victory by stopping a shot from Michal Sadilek during stoppage time.
After the match, Czech coach Michal Bílek expressed disappointment, stating, "We had scoring opportunities, but I don’t know how the goalkeeper managed to save shots from that close range. It’s very disappointing. Still, we played well and could have won the game. There were some mistakes." He added, "We could have played more efficiently. Nevertheless, the players did well, and I will encourage them."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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