Hugo Broos Questions Atlanta Stadium After South Africa's Crucial Draw: 'Not a Football Stadium'

South Africa coach Hugo Broos claimed "only the grass" was suitable for football at Atlanta's state-of-the-art stadium following his team's crucial 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic, a result that keeps Bafana Bafana's World Cup hopes alive.

The match, played under the closed roof of the home of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and MLS team Atlanta United, saw the Czech Republic seize an early advantage through a Michal Sadilek goal.

However, South Africa's relentless pressure was rewarded late in the game when Teboho Mokoena scored an 83rd-minute penalty after Pavel Sulc was penalised for a handball in the box.

The futuristic venue in Atlanta stood in stark contrast to the historic Estadio Azteca, where South Africa had opened their campaign with a 2-0 loss to co-hosts Mexico.

"If I can be very honest, this is not a football stadium," the 74-year-old Broos stated in his post-match press conference. "It's a nice stadium, fantastic stadium, everything you want. But only the grass is football. All the rest is not."

He elaborated on his preference for traditional venues, adding, "It's a covered stadium. I like to play in an open stadium. I don't feel the atmosphere in such a stadium. When you compare it with Azteca, for example, that is a football stadium!"

"These stadiums are fantastic stadiums for the crowd. I think they see everything in that stadium... But, again, I rather like a real football stadium."

The Belgian coach, a member of the squad that reached the 1986 World Cup semi-finals, also expressed frustration with the lengthy drinks breaks midway through each half, which he felt were unnecessary in the climate-controlled environment.

"I think it's very, very useful when it's hot," he said. "But in other cases, the rhythm of the game is lost. When at that moment you are the best team, and you dominate, suddenly your domination is blocked for five minutes... in that stadium, we don't need to drink after 20 minutes."

Participating in their fourth World Cup, South Africa are aiming to advance beyond the group stage for the first time.

A win in their final Group A fixture against South Korea would likely secure their spot in the last 32, potentially as one of the best third-placed teams, and mark only their second-ever World Cup victory on foreign soil.

"If we can make another performance like today, I think we have a chance to go in the second round," Broos concluded. "I'm very proud of my team, and this is the real Bafana Bafana."