South Africa vs Czechia 1-1: World Cup 2026 – as it happened

Thanks for your company this evening as we watched Czechia and South Africa share the spoils in a game which ended with a grandstand finish.

A point might not be enough to help either side into the Round of 32, but they still have a chance to qualify if they can spring a surprise in their Group A finale next, in just over six days from now.

We’ll be back tomorrow as Brazil seek their first win at World Cup 2026 while Haiti aim to pull off the biggest shock in World Cup history.

Until then, bye for now!

Miroslav Koubek says his players couldn’t have given more, despite being pegged back to draw against South Africa.

Speaking to local media, he said, “I rate that performance positively today.

“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.”

Your votes are in – Ladislav Krejcí is the @MichelobUltra Superior Player of the Match! 👏

#FIFAWorldCup #SuperiorPOTM pic.twitter.com/afomiKh1y8

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 18, 2026

South Africa head coach Hugo Broos says it will be possible for his side to beat South Korea and qualify for the knockout stages if they repeat their mentality from the battling draw with Czechia.

He said, “I’m very proud of my team. This is Bafana Bafana – we love good football, we are aggressive, we create chances. Yes, we made mistakes, but I’m very proud of the performance today.

“The Czechia team is powerful and very tall. We did very well. It’s a little bit of a pity that it’s only 1-1, but we just have to win the game against South Korea, which will be very difficult, too.

“If we play with the same mentality, it will be possible.”

You can relive all the early and late drama from Atlanta as the second round of group games got under way by reading our match report here.

Group A will come to a climax in the early hours of Tuesday, June 25, as South Africa take on South Korea in Monterrey while Czechia take on Mexico in Mexico City, with both games kicking off simultaneously at 01:00 GMT.

Nothing but a win will do for both the Czechs and Bafana Bafana if they are to reach the knockout stages.

The second round of group matches is under way, and there is plenty of important action coming your way in the coming days as teams plot their course for the World Cup Final on July 19.

We’ll be bringing you Brazil vs Haiti tomorrow night with all the buildup, team news and previews from 21:00 GMT ahead of kickoff at 00:30 GMT.

Teboho Mokoena’s cool finish in a solid display, in which he played more than hour on a yellow card, maintained South Africa’s 100 percent record from penalties at World Cups.

Their last was converted by Quinton Fortune against Paraguay in 2002, while they also scored from the spot against Saudi Arabia in 1998.

All three earned Bafana Bafana a point.

Mokoena. 🇿🇦#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/zrIyNia1PM

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 18, 2026

Czechia looked in full control early on, but they sank back and tried to protect their 1-0 lead.

They didn't manage to see the game out, with Teboho Mokoena equalising from the penalty spot. pic.twitter.com/HTgMXTg97o

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 18, 2026

A pulsating end to a less-than-pulsating game, but it ends with a point apiece, and both sides’ hopes of progressing to the round of 32 have taken a dent.

The first five minutes and the last five were played at high intensity, but the same can not be said of the 80 or so minutes in between.

Sadilek fired Czechia into the lead with the earliest goal of the tournament just five minutes in, after a clever pass from Sojka, but South Africa grew into the game before the break, without creating any real chances.

Czechia failed to find the second goal, which would have surely sealed the points. And in the end, Maseko’s shot hit an arm in the penalty area, allowing Mokoena to fire home the equaliser from the spot with five minutes remaining.

It teed up a grandstand finish, but Bafana Bafana could not complete the turnaround.

Is that the chance? Makgopa shows great strength to bring the ball down in the box and work some space, but his low shot is straight at Kovar, whose handling is sure this time.

It’s all South Africa now. They have a corner. It’s taken short again, and they can’t make the most of it.

90+5 mins: Czechia 1-1 South Africa

Schulz breaks down the left and swings in a low cross which Schick is unable to connect with before the ball breaks to Provod who fizzes an angled shot across the face of goal from the left of the area.

90+4 mins mins: Czechia 1-1 South Africa

Brilliant covering defence from Mokoena prevents the Czechs from taking advantage of a four-on-three break as we tick into the final four minutes.

90+3 mins: Czechia 1-1 South Africa

We’ll have seven additional minutes, and it’s the Czechs who are pushing to win it now, though Soucek strays offside after Coufal’s delivery.

90 mins: Czechia 1-1 South Africa

Czechia are looking increasingly nervous at the back, and there’s some unsure handling from Kovar as he gets down to his right to save a 20-yard shot from Mofokeng, which wasn’t particularly powerful.

88 mins: Czechia 1-1 South Africa

Once again, Czechia have given up a lead in World Cup Group A.

They only have themselves to blame, and now it’s the yellow shirts piling forward trying to win it.

85 mins: Czechia 1-1 South Africa

Teboho Mokoena keeps his cool and fires a right-footed spot-kick into the bottom left corner, with Kovar going the wrong way, and the Bafana Bafana fans go wild.

84 mins: Czechia 1-1 South Africa

South Africa have a penalty after Maseko’s shot hits the arm of sub Sulc.

Tori Penso points to the spot.

81 mins: Czechia 1-0 South Africa

Another change for Czechia as Cerv comes off and the fresh legs of Zima come on.

78 mins: Czechia 1-0 South Africa