Nobody gave them a chance after the opening game. But South Africa — the Bafana Bafana — beat South Korea 1-0 in Monterrey on Wednesday, June 25, 2026, to reach the fifa-world-cup/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2026 FIFA World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history.
A 63rd-minute goal from Thapelo Maseko was the difference between the sides in what amounted to a straight shootout for second place in Group A.
The win completed a remarkable recovery for a team that had been written off following a 2-0 opening defeat to Mexico — the group’s dominant force and eventual winners with a perfect nine-point record.
South Africa last appeared at a World Cup as hosts in 2010 — the first tournament held on African soil. They did not qualify again until this year’s expanded 48-team competition, and few expected them to survive the group stage.
Coach Hugo Broos, the Belgian who has managed the Bafana Bafana since 2021, was visibly emotional after the final whistle.
“We scored that goal, and it was 20 minutes of heartbeating and hoping that the game should be finished as soon as possible. So yes, we are in the second round. It’s historic. But I’m very happy for the guys. I’ve worked with them for five years. And what we did in those five years is amazing,” he said.
Son Heung-min Benched — South Korea Pay the Price
South Korea’s preparations for the decisive match were disrupted by a controversial team selection. Coach Hong Myung-bo left captain Son Heung-min — widely regarded as Asia’s greatest-ever player and a Tottenham Hotspur forward — out of the starting line-up.
South Korea started brightly despite the change. Stand-in captain Kim Min-jae’s header was blocked on the goalline by Aubrey Modiba, while Lee Kang-in flashed wide from a promising position.
South Africa grew into the game with hunger and directness. However, they were wasteful in front of goal. In the 30th minute, Evidence Makgopa was perfectly placed after Kim Seung-gyu parried Thalente Mbatha’s shot — only to poke tamely at the goalkeeper from close range.
Maseko Keeps His Cool When It Matters
Son came on at half-time as one of three changes from Hong, but South Africa held their shape and kept pressing forward.
The decisive moment arrived on 63 minutes. Tshepang Moremi crossed from the left, and this time Maseko kept his composure, firing inside the near post to send the South African bench into celebration.
As news filtered through from Mexico City that the hosts were leading the Czech Republic, South Africa simply held on. South Korea pushed hard late but ran out of time.
South Africa will now face Canada in Los Angeles on June 28 in a Round of 32 match. Canada qualified from Group B despite finishing behind Switzerland.
Remarkably, both sides are making their World Cup knockout debut — the winner advances to the Round of 16.
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