By Trevor Stynes
ATLANTA, June 18 (Reuters) - South Africa scored a penalty seven minutes from fulltime as they fought back to draw 1-1 with the Czech Republic at the World Cup on Thursday after falling behind early in the Group A clash.
The result effectively left the two sides, who both lost their opening fixtures, likely requiring a win in their last group game to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.
Teboho Mokoena slotted home the late spotkick which gave South Africa a lifeline
as they were staring at potential early elimination, after the Czechs had led from the sixth minute through Michal Sadilek.
"I don't see a reason," South Africa's manager, Hugo Broos, replied when asked if he was relieved.
"I think that we played a very good game today, except for one moment in the beginning of the first half, where we were not concentrated, not focused."
Both teams now have a point after losing their respective opening games last Thursday. Mexico and South Korea, both on three points, meet in Guadalajara later on Thursday.
For the first time at a World Cup match, both head coaches were aged over 70, and the two 74-year-old managers opted to shake things up after their sides put in poor performances in their opening-game defeats.
Broos ditched his much-criticised conservative formation, while Czech boss Miroslav Koubek made five changes to his team.
Patrik Schick completely mishit a header in the opening minute as the Czechs began on the front foot and found the early goal when the South African defence was caught napping on a long throw-in.
Adam Hlozek, left unmarked up front, gathered the ball on the right and headed for the byline before pulling it back to the edge of the box where Alexandr Sojka slipped a perfect pass into Sadilek who fired a first-time shot past keeper Ronwen Williams.
"The pass was well orchestrated, well coordinated," Sadilek said.
"But after we scored our goal, we somehow got carried away. We were too much in a block. We kept the opponent playing."
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The Czechs largely conceded possession after going in front, but South Africa did little with the ball and struggled to create any real quality in the final third.
Oswin Appollis tried his luck from distance and his shot took a deflection on its way narrowly wide and South Africa had another chance on the stroke of halftime.
Keeper Matej Kovar spilled a ball floated into the six-yard area by Aubrey Modiba, but Czech captain Ladislav Krejci was there to block Thapelo Maseko's shot.
Broos made a change at the start of the second half, Relebohile Mofokeng replacing Jayden Adams but it was the Czechs who came back out all guns blazing again with Lukas Cerv's effort from distance tipped over the bar by Williams.
South Africa lacked imagination and looked to have run out of ideas until a rather harsh handball decision was given against Pavel Sulc and Mokoena sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.
Teboho Mokoena picked up a yellow card, and the heartbeat of South Africa's midfield will miss his side's final group game. They were already without Themba Zwane, serving a three-match suspension for a red card in the first match.
The Czech Republic's final group game is against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Wednesday, with South Africa taking on South Korea in Monterrey at the same time.
Both hydration breaks were roundly booed by the crowd inside the air-conditioned Atlanta Stadium with its roof closed, which served as protection from the heavy rain and not the Georgia summer heat and humidity.
The jeers did come to a halt, however, once 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' was blasted over the stadium speakers sparking an enthusiastic sing-along.
(Additional reporting by Mark Gleeson in Atlanta; Editing by Toby Davis)
