Bafana Bafana meet a polished South Korea in their final 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A match needing a win to make history and progress to the knockouts for the first time.
It has been a tightly contested Group A so far. South Africa started with a nervy 2-0 defeat against Mexico at a packed Estadio Azteca in the intimidating opening game of the World Cup.
Coach Hugo Broos’s team settled their nerves and improved dramatically in their 1-1 draw against Czechia.
However, they will need to go another gear up if the are to beat highly organised, high work rate, classy on paper and superbly drilled South Korea in their final match at Estadio Monterrey on Wednesday (7pm Monterrey time, 3am Thursday SA time).
It will be a contrast of styles, with Bafana more of a possession-based team with speedy wingers while South Korea rely on tactical organisation, speed and physical strength.
“It‘s a special game for both teams and we know we have to win,” Bafana coach Hugo Broos said in his pre-match press conference at the match venue on Tuesday.
“Being in the second round of the World Cup will be historical for South Africa. This is a big motivation to go out there and win the game.”
The coach said he knows how he is going to approach the game, but the vastly experienced Broos was not going to parade his plans in public.
South Korea are the stronger team on paper. Bafana, though, have some talent in their ranks like centrebacks Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Ime Okon, midfielders Relebohile Mofokeng and Jayden Adams and wingers Oswin Appollis and Thapelo Maseko, while captain Ronwen Williams remains a stalwart at goalkeeper.
South Korea’s defence is marshalled by veteran Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, who is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the German Bundesliga. He operates alongside Lee Han-Beom of Midtjylland in Denmark.
In the midfield, the “Taegeuk Warriors” have Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain, Hwang Inbeom of Feyenoord Rotterdam, Lee Jae-Sung of Mainz and Seol Young-Woo of Crvena Zvezda.
For much-needed goals, South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo relies heavily on Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers and hugely experienced 33-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min, who plays for Los Angeles FC.
The top two sides from each of the 12 groups progress to the last 32 along with eight best runners-up.
Can Bafana Bafana get the win they need against such an intimidating line-up?
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