Both first-round fixtures in Group A have concluded, and teams now have an understanding of how the group will play out, with Mexico and South Korea fighting themselves into a great position to qualify for the knockout stages in round two.

South Africa and the Czech Republic both lost in the first round. Mexico opened the World Cup with an eventful win against South Africa, in which Bafana earned two red cards, and the host nation added to that tally with another late on.

Hugo Broos' side failed to put up much of a fight, unlike Czechia in the parallel fixture. Mirsolav Kobek's side pushed on for first blood in the tie against South Korea, with a beautifully placed header from captain Ladislav Kreiji. The Czech's failed to hold strong defensively and conceded twice to ultimately lose the match.

Both sides will be aiming to recover from a disappointing opening round in Atalanta on Thursday, but just which side will prevail and get their first points at the 2026 World Cup?

The South African spirit has not wavered. Broos' team is by far the favourite to finish bottom in Group A, with Mexico, South Korea, and the Czech Republic boasting too much quality for the African side to compete.

Striker Thapelo Maseko has bounced back at these odds, claiming his nation has the desire and ability to silence their doubters/

Reuters reported that the South Africa attacker said this in a press conference: "We have big players with heart, and if there is anyone out there doubting this team, they better think again."

The 22-year-old related their first round loss to the 2023 AFCON opening fixture against Mali, where they were bested 2-0. South Africa then went on to earn a bronze medal in that edition of AFCON, their first national achievement since 2000.

Maseko didn't feature in the opening fixture, but was quick to speak highly of his teammates. He believes Broos' players have the ability to go beyond expectations at this World Cup.

"One thing we must improve on is the intensity; we need to run extra hard. It is something we spoke about as a team. We were not happy with the result ⁠against Mexico ​and we want to improve going forward... We have big players with heart and if there is anyone out there doubting this team, they better think again... "It is a ​big tournament with big teams, but we must go out there and showcase our talents."

The Czech Republic failed to record points during their first World Cup fixture since 2006, but promising signs were shown by Koubek's men.

Captain Kreiji opened the scoring for Czechia, firing a lethal header into the roof of the net and putting his side in an advantageous position to claim all three points. That feeling of belief soon deflated when In-Beom Hwang equalised in the 67th minute.

Kobek's side seemed to crumble from then on; their defensive resilience, which was prominent throughout the first half, soon wavered, and just thirteen minutes later, Hyun-Gyu Oh put his nation ahead for the first time in the tie.

South Korea cruised home to take all three points on Friday morning, as Czechia were obsolete in the final third. Their build-up play from the back was largely ineffective, and their composure in front of goal was almost non-existent.

I mentioned this in the South Korea vs Czech Republic match report, "The Czech Republic needs to recognise this and play to their strengths, not conform to football tactical norms." With an overwhelming amount of aerial threats, a more route one approach would likely have been more effective.

For Koubek's squad, all eyes are focused on a wounded South Africa, which accumulated two red cards in the opening fixture, and did not look threatening during the opening fixture. 

Czechia will feel they have a decent chance of securing a route back into knockout contention, but with many matches causing upsets this tournament, they'll have to fight tooth and nail to secure those all-important three points.