FOOTBALL – South Africa scored a penalty seven minutes from full time as they fought back to draw 1-1 with the Czechia at the World Cup yesterday after falling behind early in the Group A clash.
The result effectively left the two sides, who both lost their opening fixtures, likely requiring a win in their last group game to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.
Teboho Mokoena slotted home the late spotkick which gave South Africa a lifeline as they were staring at potential early elimination, after the Czechs had led from the sixth minute through Michal Sadilek.
“I don’t see a reason,” South Africa’s manager, Hugo Broos, replied when asked if he was relieved.
“I think that we played a very good game today, except for one moment in the beginning of the first half, where we were not concentrated, not focused.”
Both teams now have a point after losing their respective opening games last Thursday.
For the first time at a World Cup match, both head coaches were aged over 70, and the two 74-year-old managers opted to shake things up after their sides put in poor performances in their opening-game defeats.
Broos ditched his much-criticised conservative formation, while Czechia boss Miroslav Koubek made five changes to his team.
Patrik Schick completely mishit a header in the opening minute as the Czechs began on the front foot and found the early goal when the South African defence was caught napping on a long throw-in.
Adam Hlozek, left unmarked up front, gathered the ball on the right and headed for the byline before pulling it back to the edge of the box where Alexandr Sojka slipped a perfect pass into Sadilek who fired a first-time shot past keeper Ronwen Williams.
“The pass was well orchestrated, well coordinated,” Sadilek said.
“But after we scored our goal, we somehow got carried away. We were too much in a block. We kept the opponent playing.”
The Czechs largely conceded possession after going in front, but South Africa did little with the ball and struggled to create any real quality in the final third.
Oswin Appollis tried his luck from distance and his shot took a deflection on its way narrowly wide and South Africa had another chance on the stroke of halftime.
Keeper Matej Kovar spilled a ball floated into the six-yard area by Aubrey Modiba, but Czechia captain Ladislav Krejci was there to block Thapelo Maseko’s shot.
Broos made a change at the start of the second half, Relebohile Mofokeng replacing Jayden Adams but it was the Czechs who came back out all guns blazing again with Lukas Cerv’s effort from distance tipped over the bar by Williams.
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