Maseko Urges South Africa to Raise Intensity Before Czechia Match

Bafana Bafana winger Thapelo Maseko has called on South Africa to increase its intensity as the team prepares to face Czechia in its second Group A match at the FIFA World Cup in Atlanta on Thursday. His comments come after South Africa opened with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico, a game in which Maseko was an unused substitute.

Maseko said the pace of play, the number of high-speed runs and the altitude are all factors the team must manage better if it is to recover from its poor start. He told South African media that the squad will need to "run extra hard" and put in "a little bit more effort" against Czechia. South Africa also had two players sent off in the Mexico loss, adding to the pressure on Hugo Broos' side.

Czechia, like South Africa, lost its opening match, going down 2-1 to South Korea. Maseko said the only way to answer criticism of Bafana Bafana's first performance is with a stronger result in Atlanta.

The match is part of South Africa's fourth FIFA World Cup appearance and its first since the country hosted the tournament in 2010. The team has never reached the knockout stage, but its hopes of advancing remain alive in the expanded group format.