South Africa kept their FIFA 2026 World Cup campaign alive on Thursday after Teboho Mokoena’s late penalty earned a crucial 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic in their Group A clash in Atlanta.

The result preserved Bafana Bafana’s hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time, while denying the Czechs a vital victory after an early breakthrough from Michal Sadilek.

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Mokoena rescues point

The Czech Republic looked set to claim just their second World Cup win as an independent nation after Sadilek struck in the sixth minute to put his side ahead.