There is a strong belief within the Bafana Bafana camp that the team will return to winning ways during their next Group A clash against the Czech Republic on Thursday (6pm), following a disappointing start to the Fifa World Cup 2026 in North America.
Bafana arrived at the World Cup with high confidence. They were drawn against co-host Mexico for the tournament’s opening match at the Azteca Stadium – a repeat of the 2010 opening clash on home soil.However, they struggled. Bafana lost 2-0 to El Tri, with coach Hugo Broos receiving significant criticism for adopting an overly defensive approach. He fielded seven defensive-minded players, abandoning the free-flowing, high-pace tactics that usually define the team’s play.
The team must improve in their remaining group matches against Czech Republic this week and South Korea a week later. Failure to do so risks an early exit, preventing them from reaching the knockout stage for the first time in their four World Cup appearances following 1998, 2002, and 2010.Confidence has returned to the squad, with goalkeeper Ricardo Goss citing previous resilience as a source of belief. He noted that despite losing their opening game in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, the team rallied to finish third.
“We have players who have been part of the national team set-up for a while now,” Goss told the media at their base in Pachuca, Mexico, this week.“I don’t think we have lost two games in a row since I have been here. Obviously, the coach’s words also carry some weight.”
“He knows what to say and when to say it, so we draw a lot of inspiration from him. The team-building exercises we hold after every loss keep us moving forward. We approach the next game wanting to win, without dwelling on the previous result.”
With Bafana returning to the World Cup for the first time since they hosted in 2010, and with all players making their tournament debuts, it was expected that their lack of experience at this stage of the competition might be exposed. However, few expected the team to lose the opening match, especially after Broos vowed that they would fight tooth and nail and leave no stone unturned on the pitch.Despite the difficult start, Goss explained the squad remains excited about the possibility of turning things around. A win against Czech Republic could put them in a strong position to reach the knockout stages.
“The way we started was certainly not how we planned,” Goss conceded.“We still have two games to try and make it out of the group. It’s an exciting tournament for us, and I think everyone here is looking forward to the match against Czech Republic.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s a culture shock, but the level is obviously higher than at Afcon. The competition is challenging because every team has a strong reputation. We would like to get a win and put the previous loss behind us.”Captain Ronwen Williams and Sphephelo Sithole, who received a red card against Mexico, were heavily criticized for the first goal conceded. Many felt they opted to play out from the back when clearing the ball would have been the safer choice.
Goss defended Bafana’s strategy of playing from the back, stating that it has been a winning formula for the team since Broos took over – which is why they will not change their system.
“That’s how we’ve been playing, especially if you remember our performance at Afcon. But you know, we still have to pay our school fees at some point,” Goss said. “I think we all know that football is a game of mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes cost you points.”“We learn and move on. We aren’t blaming anyone; we are a team that sticks together. Just because we lost a game doesn’t mean we suddenly need to change our approach. The group vibe is back, and we are excited and ready to go again,” Goss concluded.