South Africa rescued a 1-1 draw against Czechia through a Teboho Mokoena penalty in the 82nd minute, keeping Bafana Bafana's FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification hopes very much alive.

Coach Hugo Broos made three changes to his starting lineup ahead of the match — two forced and one tactical. Suspended midfielder Sphephelo Sithole was absent, while Nkosinathi Sibisi and Lyle Foster dropped to the bench. Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis, and Thapelo Maseko all came into the XI, with South Africa shifting to a more attacking 4-3-3 shape.

Czechia strike early

Danger arrived within seconds of kick-off when Patrik Schick headed wide. Bafana struggled to cope with a succession of set pieces in the opening exchanges, and the pressure told in the fifth minute.

A quick throw-in caught South Africa's defence off guard. The ball was worked into the area, and Michal Sadílek applied a composed finish to give Czechia the lead.

South Africa level late

Bafana dominated possession after the interval but found clear chances hard to come by. That patience was rewarded when Maseko's effort struck the hand of Ladislav Krejčí inside the box. Mokoena stepped up from the spot and sent Kovář the wrong way to make it 1-1.

Czechia pressed for a winner in the closing minutes but the South African backline refused to buckle. Bafana themselves came close to snatching the victory when Evidence Makgopa burst through on a slick passing move, only to fire directly at the goalkeeper.

Qualification path narrows

The point leaves South Africa with one from two in Group A, following their opening loss to Mexico. Progression to the knockout round remains possible, but a win in their final group fixture will almost certainly be required to stay in contention.