Stephen Eustáquio scored deep into stoppage time to give Canada a 1-0 victory over South Africa on Sunday, sending the co-hosts into the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in the men’s team’s history.
With extra time moments away, Eustáquio fired home from the edge of the penalty area to cap a hard-fought contest and spark celebrations among Canadian players and fans at Los Angeles Stadium.
The victory also gave Canada its first win in the knockout stage of a men’s World Cup, extending a remarkable tournament for a team that had never previously advanced beyond the group stage.
Captain Alphonso Davies made his tournament debut after recovering from injury, entering as a substitute in the 75th minute. His introduction energized Canada’s attack as the pressure mounted before Eustáquio broke the deadlock in added time.
South Africa defended resolutely for much of the match and created several scoring opportunities but could not find a breakthrough against Canada’s disciplined back line. The defeat ended an impressive campaign for Bafana Bafana, who reached the knockout stage for the first time after advancing from Group A.
Canada’s run marks a dramatic turnaround for a program that had lost all six of its previous World Cup matches before this tournament. The co-hosts now stand one win away from reaching the quarterfinals.
Canada will face either Morocco or the Netherlands in the Round of 16 on July 4 in Houston.
The Round of 32 continues Monday with Brazil playing Japan and Germany facing Paraguay. Morocco and the Netherlands will meet later Monday to determine Canada’s next opponent.
