20/06/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | JUNE 20, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP

Swiss wunderkind scores ‘childhood dream’ brace

defended his decision to start with the more experienced Fabian Rieder. “Johan needs more time to know all the details, all the positions. He needs to be more disciplined,” he said. With the Swiss now almost certain of a place in the knockout rounds, on four points, teammate Silvan Widmer appeared to acknowledge that the clamor will likely grow for youngsters like Manzambi to play a bigger role. “In football you need a mix of experi ence and young players who possess those skills,” he said. “It was crucial for us to get those players on the pitch today – excellent players who can decide matches.” – AFP Bafana Bafana keep World Cup dream alive TEBOHO MOKOENA’S penalty kept South Africa’s dream of reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time alive after a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic in Atlanta yesterday. Michal Sadilek’s early opener had the Czechs on course for just their second World Cup win as an independent nation. But Mokoena’s late spot-kick kept both teams in the hunt for the last 32, although they will almost certainly have to win their final Group A fixture to advance. Both sides move onto one point, two South Korea and five behind co-hosts Mexico. South Africa next face South Korea, while the Czech Republic take on the daunting task of playing Mexico in the Estadio Azteca. “I think we deserved more today because we played a very good game,” said South Africa coach Hugo Broos. “But if we go on like that, and if we can make another performance like today, I think we have a chance to go in the sec ond round.” Now in their fourth attempt, South Africa have never progressed beyond the group stage at the World Cup. Broos has overseen an upturn in Bafana Bafana’s fortunes since taking charge five years ago. The 2010 hosts had not qualified for the World Cup since 2002 but finished third at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Their return to the global stage has exposed a lack of quality, though, par ticularly in forward areas. The Czechs were left to rue not mak ing more of their chances to kill the game off early in the second half. “We are sorry about the result because I think that looking at the chances, we were closer to victory but we were not able to score the second goal,” said Koubek. “If we score the second goal, it would be the end of the match.” Both sides had to settle for a point that could yet prove vital come the end of Thursday’s final Group A games. – AFP The Belgian was also left irked by lengthy drinks breaks at the midway point of each half despite the climate controlled conditions. “I think it’s very, very useful when it’s hot,” he added. “But in other cases, the rhythm of the game is lost. “When at that moment you are the best team and you dominate, sud denly your domination is blocked for five minutes or I don’t know how long … in that stadium, we don’t need to drink after 20 minutes.” – AFP

in the box, I didn’t see a clear option. But thank God, the ball went in,” he said. Manzambi also helped created Switzerland’s second before steering the team’s third past the Bosnian goal keeper from fellow substitute Ruben Vargas’s cross. After the game Yakin paid tribute to a Manzambi’s “many football qualities,” not least his ability to play in almost any position. “He learned how to play on the streets. He needs to be more struc tured, but he is making headway with that,” said Yakin. While praising Manzambi’s ability to “even surprise us as well as opponents with what he can do,” the coach

pundits have been calling for coach Murat Yakin to play more young stars in a team dominated by veterans like Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez. Twenty-year-old Manzambi plies his trade in the German league, firing Freiburg to last month’s Europa League final. Typically a box-to-box midfielder, the versatile young star was brought on by Yakin in the 72nd minute as a winger. “He told me to let my talent shine, and I think I showed that today as best I could,” Manzambi said after. After just two minutes on the field, he volleyed in Switzerland’s opener from a loose clearance. “Honestly, when the ball was in the air

SWISS wunderkind Johan Manzambi yesterday described coming off the bench at the World Cup to score twice in a 4-1 victory over Bosnia Herzegovina as a “childhood dream come true.” “Honestly, it’s incredible – it’s the first brace of my entire career,” a gleeful Manzambi told reporters after the game, which ended in a flurry of Switzerland goals. “And to do it at the World Cup, espe cially after we didn’t get off to the best start? Honestly it’s a childhood dream come true,” he said, switching between French and German languages. Following Switzerland’s disappointing opening draw with Qatar, some Swiss

El Tri into knockouts S. Korea coach urges players to move on from Mexico defeat C O-HOSTS Mexico became the first team to reach the knockout rounds of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over South Korea at a delirious Guadalajara Stadium yesterday. “The goal we conceded was regrettable, but there is no need to hang our heads,” Hong told reporters. “The result is disappointing, but I believe the players executed the plans we prepared for this game well.” Hong said South Korea had expected

players must not dwell on their defeat by Mexico after a goal keeping error proved decisive in their second Group A match at the World Cup.

After a dreary first period, Luis Romo’s goal just after halftime thanks to a goal keeping error put Mexico through as Group A winners with a match to go. Mexico stopper Raul Rangel made a superb double save in the dying minutes to preserve their lead. Finishing top keeps Mexico at home in the last 32 with a game against a third placed team in Mexico City. “It’s really difficult to deal with

Mexico to press aggressively from the start and had focused on surviving the early stages without conceding. “It was crucial not to concede until the 20th minute of the first half, and the play ers held on well,” he added. “After that, the game’s rhythm shifted to our side, and we were able to lead in both pressing and game man agement.” Hong declined to blame goal keeper Kim Seung-gyu directly for the goal, saying he had yet to review the collision that led to the mistake. “There was pushing between players in that scene, and I think a mistake occurred in that process,” he said. Despite the loss, South Korea remain in contention to reach the round of 32, with three points from two matches.

the emotions,” coach Javier Aguirre said of the challenges going into the game. He reserved special praise for Rangel and the supporters in Guadalajara. “His save was just amazing,” said Aguirre. “It was quite a tac tical match, and hard to digest for the fans, but they were outstanding. I would just like to say thank you to them, they’ve been fantastic ever since we got here. “Mexico jerseys were everywhere, every where you turned it was green shirts.” South Korea are second on three points, with the Czech Republic and South Africa also still alive on one. The Koreans were mostly toothless going forward until the final few minutes. South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said his

South Korea face South Africa in their final group match on Thursday in Monterrey.

“South Africa is a team with good speed,” Hong said. “We need to pre pare tactically well.” Mexico will

face the Czech Republic in their final group game. – AFP/ Reuters

Mexico players celebrate during their 2026 World Cup Group A match against South Korea at the Guadalajara Stadium yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

Broos takes aim at covered stadia, drinks breaks SOUTH AFRICA coach Hugo Broos said “only the grass” resembled a football stadium after a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic in Atlanta kept Bafana Bafana’s chances of World Cup pro gress alive. when Teboho Mokoena converted an 83rd minute penalty after Pavel Sulc handled inside his own box. In contrast to the futuristic Atlanta Stadium, South Africa began the World Cup with a 2-0 defeat to co hosts Mexico in the historic Estadio Azteca.

match press conference. “It’s a covered stadium. I like to play in an open stadium. I don’t feel really the atmosphere in such a sta dium. When you compare it with Azteca, for example, that is a football stadium! “These stadiums are fantastic stadi ums for the crowd. I think they see everything in that stadium. “There are no places that are cov ered or whatever. But, again, I rather like a real football stadium.”

Under the closed roof of the state of-the-art home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and MLS side Atlanta United, the Czech Republic took an early lead through Michal Sadilek. But South Africa’s persistence in the search for an equaliser paid off

“If I can be very honest, this is not a football stadium. It’s a nice stadium, fantastic stadium, everything you want. But only the grass is football. All the rest is not,” Broos, 74, told his post