South Africa scored a late penalty to secure a 1-1 draw against Czechia in their Group A match at the 2026 World Cup on Thursday. Teboho Mokoena converted the spot kick seven minutes from time after Pavel Sulc's handball gave the South Africans a lifeline, averting potential early elimination.
The Czechs took an early lead in the sixth minute when Michal Sadilek slotted home after a clever pass from Alexandr Sojka, set up by Adam Hlozek's cross from the right wing. Both teams entered the match with a point from their opening losses, trailing South Korea and co-hosts Mexico, who face each other later Thursday.
South Africa's next opponent is South Korea, while Czechia faces Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. Patrik Schick missed a golden chance for the Czechs in the first minute, heading wide, but the team quickly recovered to take the lead.
Despite the draw, South Africa coach Hugo Broos expressed pride in his team's performance. "I'm very proud of my team. This is Bafana Bafana – we love good football, we are aggressive, we create chances," he said. "If we play with the same mentality against South Korea, it will be possible to qualify."
Czechia coach Miroslav Koubek praised his players' effort. "I can't reproach the lads for anything; on the contrary, I can praise them. They gave it absolutely everything, and sometimes that might be more than a victory."