Both Czech Republic and South Africa go into their June 18 Group A meeting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta having lost their openers, which makes this about as close to a must win as the group stage gets. Czechia went down 1-2 to South Korea, South Africa lost 0-2 to Mexico while also picking up two red cards, leaving both sides on zero points with Mexico and South Korea already pulling clear.
Neither manager has faced the other before. Miroslav Koubek took over Czechia in December 2025, while Hugo Broos, who has led South Africa since 2021, is coaching his final tournament before retirement. Both happen to be among the oldest managers at this World Cup, though that is more of a trivia note than a storyline.
Czechia's run to Atlanta ended a twenty year World Cup absence and a 5-1 friendly win over Guatemala before the tournament looked encouraging. Against South Korea, though, two goals conceded will give Koubek something to address. South Africa qualified but never threatened the Mexican box and finished the game with nine men and they have never survived the group stage. Both sides know a draw is almost certainly not enough.
Czechia have no injury or suspension concerns and can name essentially the same lineup. Adam Hlozek, returning from a long term injury, is fit but being managed carefully and a squad built heavily around a Slavia Prague core gives them genuine cohesion. South Africa are without suspended midfielders Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane, their two most creative central options, leaving Broos without obvious replacements in the same mould.
Czechia play a 3-4-2-1, with Patrik Schick leading the line, Tomas Soucek driving from box to box and Coufal offering an outlet on the right. South Africa will likely sit in a compact 4-2-3-1 with Teboho Mokoena screening in front of the defensive block and Lyle Foster ready to run in behind. The Soucek-Mokoena battle in midfield will probably set the tone and Schick's aerial ability against Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Khuliso Mudau is the most exploitable match up on the pitch.
These two have met only once: a 2-2 draw at the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, which tells you almost nothing about how this plays out in 2026.
Set pieces feel like the most likely route to a goal, given the organisational holes South Africa's suspensions create at dead balls and Schick's ability to arrive late from deep. The midday kickoff in Atlanta will test both squads physically and South Africa, already shorter in depth after the red cards, will feel that more acutely as the game stretches.
Czech Republic 2-1 South Africa. Schick is the most likely source of a Czech opener, probably from a set piece and Soucek's physicality should help Czechia control the game after any South African response. Foster has the quality to punish them on the counter and a Bafana Bafana goal seems likely at some point but the suspension crisis in Broos's midfield is too significant to overcome against a side with Schick and Soucek operating at a level that exceeds anything South Africa can match in their current depleted state.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
