Teboho Mokoena of South Africa is challenged by Michal Sadilek of Czechia during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match at Atlanta Stadium on June 18, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. Picture: LARS BARON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
Let’s not beat around the bush: this Bafana Bafana side is not the same team that topped their qualifying group to qualify for the Fifa World Cup for the first time since 2002.
In the two matches they have played so far, Bafana have offered precious little attacking threat.
Against a highly fancied Mexico side ranked 11th in the world, that was somewhat understandable. As tournament co-hosts, Mexico were always expected to dominate and they did exactly that, with Bafana seeing just 39% of the ball. Conceding in the eighth minute appeared to disrupt whatever game plan Hugo Broos had prepared, and a Plan B never seemed to materialise.
Going forward, Bafana were utterly toothless and the 2-0 scoreline was probably the best outcome they could have hoped for after doing well to avoid conceding more goals.
