South Africa will face Czechia on Thursday in Georgia in the opening match of Round 2 at the FIFA World Cup, with both sides still looking to earn their first point in the group.
South Africa are still searching for rhythm after a difficult run of matches. In their recent warm-up friendlies, Bafana Bafana struggled to secure victories, recording a 1-1 draw and a 2-1 defeat against Panama.
They followed that with a goalless draw against Nicaragua and another 1-1 stalemate with Jamaica. Their poor run continued into the tournament, where they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mexico in their opening match, increasing the pressure to deliver a result in Group A.
South Africa team news
South Africa face significant selection challenges ahead of this important encounter.
Head coach Hugo Broos will be without key midfielders Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole and Themba Zwane, both suspended after receiving red cards in the loss to Mexico.
Their absence forces a major reshuffle in the squad. Broos is expected to move away from his usual five-man defensive setup and instead adopt a more attacking 4-3-3 formation.
Thalente Mbatha is likely to take a central role in midfield, while promising young wingers Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng are expected to start, adding pace and creativity in the attacking areas.
There is some positive news for South Africa, as left-back Aubrey Modiba has recovered from a minor injury picked up in the opening match and is fit to return.
South Africa predicted lineup
Possible South Africa starting XI: Williams; Mudau, Mbokazi, Okon, Modiba; Adams, Mbatha; Appollis, Mokoena, Moremi; Mofokeng
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 5pm BST on Thursday, 18th June.
How to watch Czechia vs South Africa?
UK fans can watch the Czechia vs South Africa World Cup match live and free of charge on BBC One.
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