Photo – AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser
Atlanta: A late penalty converted by Teboho Mokoena helped South Africa rescue a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic in a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A encounter at Atlanta Stadium.
The hard-fought result earned both teams a point, with South Africa showing resilience after conceding one of the fastest goals of the tournament.
The Czech Republic made a dream start when Michal Sadílek found the net after just five minutes and eight seconds, setting a new record for the fastest goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The previous mark had been held by Germany’s Felix Nmecha, who scored after five minutes and 16 seconds against Curaçao.
The move began with a dangerous cross from Adam Hložek, which was cleverly laid off by Alexander Sorloth into Sadílek’s path. The Czech midfielder made no mistake, firing a powerful shot past South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams to give his side an early lead.
South Africa struggled to break down the Czech defence in the first half but looked far more threatening after the interval. Head coach Hugo Broos introduced 21-year-old forward Relebohile Mofokeng, whose pace and creativity added a new dimension to the attack.
Despite creating several promising opportunities, South Africa found Czech defenders, led by Ladislav Krejčí, in determined form. However, the turning point came in the 83rd minute when Czech midfielder Pavel Šulc handled the ball inside the penalty area.
The referee immediately pointed to the spot, and Mokoena calmly stepped up to send goalkeeper Matěj Kovář the wrong way, leveling the score at 1-1.
Czech Republic coach Miroslav Koubek expressed disappointment with the result.
“We are unhappy with the outcome. If you look at the chances we created, we were very close to winning the match. Unfortunately, we paid for our mistakes. Even so, I believe we performed better in the second half,” he said.
South Africa coach Hugo Broos praised his players for their determination and attacking intent.
“I am very proud of my team. We played positive football, created chances, and never stopped believing. The Czech Republic is a physically strong side with excellent aerial ability, but our players responded brilliantly. A draw is slightly disappointing because of the effort we put in, but we can take confidence from this performance,” Broos said.
Looking ahead, Broos stressed the importance of South Africa’s next match against South Korea.
“We now have to beat South Korea, which will be a difficult challenge. If we play with the same commitment and belief that we showed today, we have every chance of getting the result we need,” he added.
The draw keeps South Africa’s hopes alive in Group A, while the Czech Republic will rue missed opportunities after failing to hold on to an early advantage.
