Bafana Bafana earned their first point of the FIFA World Cup in Thursday's 1-1 draw with Czechia in Atlanta, but former Watford striker Troy Deeney was unimpressed with the game.
Deeney, who scored 47 goals and assisted 20 in 165 Premier League appearances and most recently appeared in the top flight in 2021-22, slammed the frequency of shots taken outside the box, likening it to a youth football game.
South Africa took 11 of their 17 shots from outside the box, while Czechia took three of their 14 from range, as per Flashscore.
"Terrible result for both - I think even worse for Czechia for where they were at. So many times, they could have been better in the final third, but I don't think I've watched a professional game of football with more long shots in one game," Deeney said in his capacity as a pundit for CBS Sports.
"Honestly, it was like watching kids football. Do you know what you've got that kid who can kick it the furthest and they'll shoot from everywhere? That's what the game was. Well done, South Africa, getting that penalty [from which Teboho Mokoena equalised in the 83rd minute] but terrible game of football.
"Unfortunately for both, now, they're playing for third place [in Group A]. It could be [whoever] has the better goal difference out of these two. It's a terrible, terrible advert for the World Cup. When I think to the World Cup - I don't know about you - I think of the best teams playing the best."
Deeney credited the overall footballing cultures of South Africa and Czechia, but said that the draw did not showcase the best of them.
"It's a shame as well because historically, they're both great teams - great nations - but we're seeing a poor product that I don't think reflects the people and the countries personally," he said.
South Africa will face South Korea in Guadalupe on Wednesday (with kick-off time at 3 a.m. on Thursday for those watching from South Africa). Czechia will face Mexico in Mexico City simultaneously.
Mexico top Group A with six points after their 1-0 win over South Korea, who are second with three. Czechia and South Africa have a point apiece. The top two teams from all 12 groups automatically advance to the round of 32 along with the eight best third-placed teams.