South Africa reaches World Cup knockout stage for the first time with 1-0 win over South Korea
Thapelo Maseko's 63rd-minute goal sent Bafana Bafana through to the last 32, where they will face co-host Canada in Inglewood.
South Africa has reached the knockout phase of a FIFA World Cup for the first time in four tournament appearances. The team, coached by Belgian Hugo Broos, defeated South Korea 1-0 in their final Group A match in Monterrey to finish second in the group with four points, having scored only two goals across the group stage.
Decisive moment in Monterrey
Before a crowd of 51,243, substitute Tshepang Moremi crossed low from the left flank into the penalty area. Thapelo Maseko met the ball with a firm low shot through the legs of Mönchengladbach's Jens Castrop, beating goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu in the 63rd minute. South Africa defended the narrow lead with heavy commitment for the remainder of the match.
South Korea's missed chances
South Korea started brightly. Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae saw a header cleared off the line by Aubrey Modiba in the second minute, and Kang-in Lee fired narrowly wide shortly after. The early pressure faded, and South Africa grew into the game. Evidence Makgopa missed a clear opportunity in the 30th minute, shooting straight at the goalkeeper from six metres after a rebound fell to him.
Son's limited impact
Star forward Heung-min Son, appearing in his 13th World Cup match, started on the bench for the first time. He was introduced at half-time but could not inject momentum into a tiring South Korean attack. The 2002 World Cup semi-finalists struggled to create chances against a compact South African defence and now face an anxious wait to see if they advance as one of the best third-placed teams.
What comes next
South Africa will play co-host Canada in the round of 32 on Sunday in Inglewood, near Los Angeles. South Korea finished the group stage in third place with three points and must rely on results elsewhere to progress.
