World Cup 2026: South Africa fight back to earn draw against Czech Republic
Key takeaways
- South Africa rallied from a goal down to hold the Czech Republic to a 1-1 draw in their opening World Cup match on Thursday, with Teboho Mokoena converting a late penalty to cancel out Michal Sadilek's first-half strike.
- By: FRANCE 24 Vladimir Darida of Czechia controls the ball under pressure from Mbekezeli Mbokazi of South Africa during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group.
- Bafana Bafana gradually grew into the contest and created a series of chances after the break.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
South Africa rallied from a goal down to hold the Czech Republic to a 1-1 draw in their opening World Cup match on Thursday, with Teboho Mokoena converting a late penalty to cancel out Michal Sadilek's first-half strike.
By: FRANCE 24 Vladimir Darida of Czechia controls the ball under pressure from Mbekezeli Mbokazi of South Africa during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group. A match between Czechia and South Africa at Atlanta Stadium on June 18, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. © Lars Baron, AFP South Africa came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic on Thursday. The Czechs made the brighter start and took the lead after just six minutes when Michal Sadilek found space inside the penalty area to convert Alexandr Sojka's pass.
Bafana Bafana gradually grew into the contest and created a series of chances after the break. Evidence Makgopa forced a fine save from goalkeeper Matej Kovar with a powerful header, while Hugo Broos' substitutions injected fresh energy into the attack.