South Africa reached the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Korea on Wednesday.
The decisive moment came in the 63rd minute when Thapelo Maseko calmly fired a low shot into the bottom corner to seal a famous win. The result sent South Africa through to the Round of 32, where they will face tournament co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles on June 28.
South Africa finished second in Group A with four points, behind group winners Mexico, who defeated the Czech Republic 3-0. South Korea ended the group stage with three points and still have a chance of advancing as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.
It is a historic achievement for South Africa, who failed to progress beyond the group stage in their previous World Cup appearances in 1998, 2002 and 2010.
“It was a fantastic experience,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said after the match.
“It was a very difficult game, but tactically we were excellent and didn’t give South Korea much space. After we scored, the final 20 minutes were nerve-racking. This is a historic moment and I’m very happy for the players. We’ve been working together for five years.”
South Korea started brightly and nearly took the lead after just two minutes when Kim Min-jae’s header was cleared off the line by Aubrey Modiba. Soon after, Lee Kang-in fired over the bar from a promising position inside the penalty area.
As the first half progressed, South Africa settled into the game and began creating chances. In the 19th minute, Maseko raced onto a through ball but was denied by an excellent last-ditch challenge from Lee Gi-hyuk.
South Africa then came close again when goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a superb double save, first stopping Thalente Mbatha’s effort before quickly reacting to deny Evidence Makgopa on the rebound.
Despite enjoying most of the possession, South Korea struggled to create clear-cut opportunities. Even the introduction of captain Son Heung-min at half-time failed to spark their attack.
South Africa eventually got the breakthrough they deserved. Moremi played a perfectly weighted pass into Maseko, who shifted the ball onto his left foot and drilled a low shot into the bottom-right corner.
The goal sparked celebrations among the South African players and fans, as the final whistle confirmed a landmark achievement and a place in the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time.
