Jeroslav Zeleny has shared Czechia’s expectations for their upcoming World Cup Group A match against South Africa, scheduled for Thursday at the Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Zeleny emphasized that his team has analyzed the playing style of their opponents, noting a distinct contrast in approach. “The opponent will be typologically different. Korea had a lot of speed; South Africa has more powerful players,” he stated on the Czech national team website.
Despite both teams losing their opening matches—Czechia falling 2-1 to South Korea and South Africa losing 2-0 to Mexico—Zeleny believes the Bafana are not in a stronger position. He mentioned that both sides are similarly challenged, pointing out that South Africa has yet to score in the tournament.
The Czech defender stressed the importance of preparation, saying, “We need to prepare better than them and win the match.” The highly anticipated match is set to kick off at 6 PM South African time on Thursday.