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Thapelo Morena, Bafana Bafana
Sinolwetu Tompela

Thapelo Morena applauds Bafana Bafana’s comeback against Czechia - 'They left everything on the pitch'

South Africa
World Cup
T. Morena
Czechia vs South Africa
Czechia
South Africa vs Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea
Mamelodi Sundowns FC
H. Broos
T. Mokoena
T. Zwane

The injured Bafana star has lauded the national team's tenacity following their hard-earned draw on Thursday. Despite being sidelined for the tournament, the Mamelodi Sundowns defender was full of praise for how Hugo Broos' side battled back from an early deficit to keep their knockout stage dreams alive.

  • Czechia v South Africa: Group A - FIFA World Cup 2026Getty Images Sport

    Overcoming the early setback

    South Africa were left with a daunting task in their second group-stage fixture after conceding early, briefly echoing the difficulties of their 2026 FIFA World Cup opening clash against Mexico.

    However, the squad’s resilience to fight back and secure a valuable point against European opposition has struck a chord with both fans and teammates, offering a timely lift after a tough start to the campaign.

    Speaking to the media at a watch party, Thapelo Morena praised the tactical discipline and character shown by his compatriots.

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  • Thapelo Morena, Mamelodi Sundowns, August 2025Backpage

    'It was much better than the past game'

    "I think, to be honest, today's [Thursday night] game was pretty much better than the past game," Morena said.

    "The unfortunate part is conceding in the early stages of the game because now you need to change your plan, you need to change the tactics, you also need to change the availability of players that you have on the bench."

  • Czechia v South Africa: Group A - FIFA World Cup 2026Getty Images Sport

    Character and commitment on the world stage

    He highlighted the emotional investment of the players, noting that the mental strength required to recover from a goal down at a World Cup should not be underestimated.

    The defender was particularly impressed by the sheer work rate shown over the 90 minutes.

    "So, I think the big thing is how the guys handled it and how they came back," he added.

    "They left everything on the pitch, and that's one thing that I'm happy with."

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  • Eyes on the prize against South Korea

    The draw leaves the Mzansi side with everything to play for in their final group outing against South Korea.

    The team will have to cope without the suspended Teboho Mokoena and Themba Zwane.

    With the decisive clash approaching, the grit shown in their latest outing may prove to be the turning point in their quest for World Cup history.