South Korea lost 1-0 to Sweden in their first game at the World Cup in Russia on Monday, a result that leaves the Asian team facing an uphill task to reach the knockout stage, with Germany and Mexico also in Group F.
Sweden were on top in the first half at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, with Marcus Berg's shot that brought a fine point-blank save out of South Korean keeper Cho Hyun Woo their best chance.
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Son Heung Min of Tottenham Hotspur posed the main threat for South Korea, who had Park Joo Ho taken off on a stretcher after appearing to pull his hamstring.
The Swedes got the breakthrough they deserved thanks to a 65th-minute penalty, awarded after consultation with the Video Assistant Referee, after Kim Min Woo felled Viktor Claesson. Captain Andreas Granqvist coolly stroked home the spot kick.
Hwang Hee Chan had South Korea's best chance of the match at the very end, but sent his free header from next to the penalty spot wide of the target.
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"It's unfortunate that we couldn't win today, but now our attitude is that we have to prepare ourselves very well for the match against Mexico," said South Korean coach Shin Tae Yong.
"They are going to be a formidable opponent. We have to find our own way to face them."
Sweden coach Janne Andersson said he expects his team to improve further, saying, "The best player of Korea Republic today was their goalkeeper."
"After Germany's defeat yesterday this win can possibly be even more important."
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Mexico shocked defending champions Germany with a 1-0 win in the Group F opener on Sunday.
The buildup to the South Korea vs Sweden match had been marked by a spying controversy with Andersson apologizing after it was revealed that a member of his coaching staff had got into a closed South Korean training session and been asked to leave.
Shin had responded by saying he got his players to swap their training shirts, as "it is very difficult for westerners to distinguish between Asians."
In Group G, England labored to overcome a stubborn Tunisia side 2-1 in Volgograd, thanks to a double from their captain Harry Kane, whose winner came in second half stoppage time.
England peppered the Tunisian goal in the first half but still went in for the break at 1-1 after being punished for their profligacy. Their six shots on target in the first half were the most by any team so far at the tournament.
When Kane followed up to score off John Stones' saved header in the 11th minute, it looked like England would run riot. But after Jesse Lingard missed a great chance to make it 2-0 Tunisia were awarded a penalty when Kyle Walker caught Fakhreddine Ben Youssef with a flailing arm, and Ferjani Sassi scored from the spot.
England hit the bar through a Dele Alli header and a post from a Lingard shot, and Kane appeared to be wrestled to the ground in the box at set pieces before and after half time, but no penalty was given.
Emboldened, Tunisia packed their defense in the second half and looked like they had held England off until time added on, when Harry McGuire flicked on a corner and Kane headed home at the back post.
"It's massive, I'm so proud of the lads, it was tough," said Kane. "We played really well in first half and we kept going until the last second. I think we could have had a couple of penalties so maybe it was a bit of justice at the end."
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Belgium had earlier proved too strong for World Cup debutants Panama, steamrolling the Central Americans 3-0 in the second half in Sochi to finish the day top of Group G on goal difference.
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku scored twice after Napoli forward Dries Mertens had broken the deadlock with a spectacular volley.
Lukaku, who had said in a pre-match interview that some Belgians wanted "to see me fail," scored with a diving header from an exquisite Kevin de Bruyne cross and then lifted the ball over goalkeeper Jaime Penedo after being put through by Eden Hazard.
"It was exactly what we expected -- there are no easy games at the World Cup. We started very well but then became frustrated as the first half wore on. But I was delighted in the way the team reacted," said Belgium coach Roberto Martinez.
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