Canada stun South Africa 1-0 to reach first World Cup
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- Stephen Eustáquio scored in the 2nd minute of second-half stoppage time with a volley from outside the penalty area into the bottom corner, delivering Canada a 1-0 win over South Africa at SoFi Stadium and their first knockout-stage victory at a World Cup.
- Canada advances to the round of 16 — their first ever — to face the Netherlands or Morocco in Houston on Saturday, after becoming the first World Cup hosts forced to play on the road following a 2-1 loss to Switzerland last Wednesday.
- Alphonso Davies came on in the 75th minute for his first World Cup action after a hamstring injury, returning in the same stadium where he tore a knee ligament in March 2025 during CONCACAF Nations League play.
- South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made five saves, and coach Hugo Broos conceded his side lacked "power and speed" while expressing pride in what Bafana Bafana achieved in their first-ever knockout-round appearance.
- Jesse Marsch told his players they are "Canadian heroes for the future children of this country who play this sport" in a post-match huddle speech at SoFi Stadium.
Why it matters: Canada's stoppage-time winner sends the co-hosts into their first-ever World Cup round of 16, while South Africa exits at the same stage they reached for the first time — described in the source as the highest moment in Bafana Bafana's "checkered" international history.
