Atlanta – South Africa will have to win their next FIFA World Cup game to advance to the next stage after their one-all draw with the Czech Republic on Thursday in Atlanta.
Their opener with Mexico ended in defeat. A miss would not only steal points but also see them exit in the group stage.
Tebogo Mokoena’s penalty at 83 minutes of the match keeps Bafana’s prospects of reaching the knockout stage alive. He equalized from Michal Sadílek’s early minutes goal, giving both teams a point after losing their first matches. 
Mokoena’s penalty makes Bafana’s first goal in this World Cup after 16 years. They last qualified for the World Cup in 2010, following their 2002 appearance. Under Hugo Broos, they have improved performance.
The Czechs were on to prove a point and, most importantly, get much-needed points to stay safe. They lost in a 2-1 bout with South Korea while South Africa suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mexico.
In the early minutes of game time, Sadilek took them to the lead.
Adam Hlozek made a cross for Alexandr Sojka, allowing him to position the ball in the scorer’s path. In the second half, the Czechs lost most chances to dismantle the opponent’s spirit, who most probably had the crowd cheering in the early minutes.
South Africa has never moved past the group stage, raising the question: may this time be different?
They will next face South Korea, while the Czech Republic will play Mexico, who advanced to the next round after defeating South Korea 1-0.
