South Africa salvaged a crucial point at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Teboho Mokoena converting a late penalty to earn Bafana Bafana a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday. The result — South Africa's first point of the tournament — keeps their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive heading into the decisive final round of Group A fixtures.
The match was freighted with urgency for both sides, each having lost their opening game. The Czech Republic drew first blood inside six minutes when Adam Hlozek played in Alexandr Sojka, whose clever pass split the South African defence for Michal Sadilek — a midfielder with ties to Dutch clubs PSV and FC Twente — to finish from close range. It was a damaging early blow, recalling the slow start that had cost South Africa against Mexico in their opener. Coach Hugo Broos responded by switching from a 3-5-2 to a more attacking 4-3-3 system, and Bafana gradually grew into the contest. Iqraam Rayners and Oswin Appollis used their pace to stretch the Czech backline, and South Africa, who finished with 62 per cent possession, created a string of half-chances — though the best of them, a close-range effort by Thapelo Maseko just before half-time, was scrambled clear by goalkeeper Matej Kovar.
The introduction of young winger Relebohile Mofokeng at the start of the second half lifted the tempo further. The equaliser finally came in the 83rd minute when a Maseko shot struck the arm of Czech defender Pavel Sulc in the area. American referee Tori Penso — only the second woman to officiate at a men's World Cup, after France's Stéphanie Frappart in 2022 — pointed to the spot without hesitation. Mokoena stepped up and sent Kovar the wrong way to level the score, sparking jubilation among the South African supporters inside the stadium.
The draw sets up a winner-takes-all conclusion for both nations. South Africa will face South Korea on 25 June, while the Czech Republic take on Mexico at the same time — simultaneous kick-offs designed to keep the group wide open. The result also fits a broader pattern: African sides have impressed throughout the tournament, with Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana recording wins, and Morocco, Cape Verde, Egypt, DR Congo and South Africa all earning draws against major European and South American opposition.
For South Africa — a nation that hosted the World Cup in 2010 but has rarely threatened to go deep in the tournament — the point is more than symbolic. Broos' side showed the defensive resilience and attacking ambition to compete against a disciplined European opponent, and their fate remains in their own hands. A win in the final group game would be enough to keep the dream alive.