Bafana Bafana will be heading into their final 2026 Fifa World Cup encounter against South Korea with a lot of hope, as they must win to register four points on the board and become one of the best number threes to advance to the Round of 32 of the competition.
Coach Hugo Broos and his men kicked off their World Cup campaign on an uninspiring note when they lost to co-host Mexico 2-0 in the opening game. Broos also lost two of his trusted soldiers, Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole and Themba Zwane, through red cards.
However, Bafana managed to bounce back and defy all the odds when they produced a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic.
With the team now officially off the mark and having restored the trust of South Africans across the world, Broos and his men still have one more task to accomplish: to get a result against a tricky and wounded Korean side this coming Thursday.
South African midfield talisman Teboho Mokoena has been suspended and he will miss the all-important clash against the South Koreans.
Korea head into the match at the back of a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Mexico, following a costly defensive error.
Sunday World dives into the South Korean squad and its key players who will most likely cause problems for the South Africans.
Son Heung-min (Los Angeles FC)
Arguably the best player in the history of South Korean football, Son Heung-min is without a doubt a player the South African analysts should look into the most, as his blistering speed on the flanks and in-between the defenders will cause problems for Bafana on the day.
Despite no longer playing in a top and fast league as he previously did, Son is still a big player and one that should not be taken for granted.
Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich)
The entire South Korean fan base breathed the deepest sigh of relief last week when it was revealed that the injury of their most experienced defender, Kim Min-jae, is not serious and he would be back in action for the remainder of the competition.
The Bayern Munich star got a knock against Chechnya in their opening match, but has since been cleared and was also available in the game against Mexico on Thursday.
Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord)
This Fifa World Cup has introduced some of the brightest talents to the world, as their outstanding individual performances have thus far made them stand out and be on people’s lips.
Hwang, once regarded as an unsung hero in Korea, became officially recognised as a national hero when he inspired Korea to their comeback win over Czechia in their opening match, when he scored a wonderful goal and displayed his full composure inside the box around three defenders.
Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton)
Korea forward Hwang Hee-chan is nicknamed the “Bull” in Korea for obvious reasons. His aggressive playing style will test Bafana’s young defensive duo of TLB Mbokazi and Ime Okon.
He is yet to score or have a lot of impact so far at the World Cup, as he has come off the bench twice, but who knows what he will do when it matters the most for his nation?
- Bafana Bafana will be heading into their final 2026 Fifa World Cup encounter against South Korea with a lot of hope, as they must win to register four points on the board and become one of the best number threes to advance to the Round of 32 of the competition.
- Coach Hugo Broos and his men kicked off their World Cup campaign on an uninspiring note when they lost to co-host Mexico 2-0 in the opening game.
- Broos also lost two of his trusted soldiers, Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole and Themba Zwane, through red cards.
- However, Bafana managed to bounce back and defy all the odds when they produced a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic.
- With the team now officially off the mark and having restored the trust of South Africans across the world, Broos and his men still have one more task to accomplish: to get a result against a tricky and wounded Korean side this coming Thursday.
Bafana Bafana will be heading into their final 2026 Fifa World Cup encounter against
Coach Hugo Broos and his men kicked off their World Cup campaign on an uninspiring note when they lost to co-host Mexico 2-0 in the opening game. Broos also lost two of his trusted soldiers, Sphephelo “Yaya”
However, Bafana managed to bounce back and defy all the odds when they produced a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic.
Korea head into the match at the back of a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Mexico, following a costly defensive error.
Son
Arguably the best player in the history of
Despite no longer playing in a top and fast league as he previously did, Son is still a big player and one that should not be taken for granted.
Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich)
Korea forward
He is yet to score or have a lot of impact so far at the World Cup, as he has come off the bench twice, but who knows what he will do when it matters the most for his nation?
