By Levy Masiteng
South Africa kept their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign alive after battling back to secure a 1-1 draw against Czechia in their second Group A match at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday night.
Bafana Bafana entered the match under pressure following their disappointing 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the tournament opener, but showed resilience to earn a valuable point and keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.
Czechia struck early when Michal Sadilek scored in the sixth minute, putting South Africa on the back foot from the outset.
Despite the setback, Hugo Broos’ men refused to give up and continued searching for an equaliser.
Their persistence paid off in the 83rd minute when midfielder Teboho Mokoena converted a penalty after Pavel Sulc was penalised for handball, rescuing a point for Bafana and sparking celebrations among South African supporters.
The result leaves South Africa
You’ve reached your free article limit
Subscribe to enjoy unlimited access to trusted journalism. Cancel anytime.
Subscribe nowNeed help? molokom@insideeducation.co.za









