The story of South Africa and the incredible resurgence of Bafana Bafana resulted in securing a knockout stage spot in the World Cup 2026 for the first time.
After facing a humiliating defeat to host nation Mexico, which included receiving two red cards, South Africa mounted a thrilling late comeback on Wednesday, clinching a 1-0 victory against South Korea, thanks to a crucial goal from Thapelo Maseko, allowing them to overtake their opponents for second place in the group.
Next up, South Africa will take on Canada, seeking to further their historic run for a place in the Round of 16. Team captain Ronwen Williams shared insights on how South Africa, often underestimated and labeled as likely to exit in the group stages, channeled the negativity into motivation, stating, “Everybody was against us; we used that as energy to fight today. It’s amazing what we achieved.”
Despite South Korea’s hopes of qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams, they left with a sense of missed opportunities, especially against Mexico, who secured a 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic.
In the 63rd minute, Maseko found the bottom corner of the net, giving South Africa the lead.
South Korea, starting without star player Son Heung-min, managed to earn only three points. Notably, South Africa had failed to progress past the group stage in their previous three World Cup appearances in 1998, 2002, and 2010.
Early on, South Korea threatened when Kim Min-jae had his header cleared off the line by Aubrey Modiba, followed by a close attempt by Lee ‘Kang-in’ soon after.
As the match progressed, South Africa began to find their rhythm and nearly scored in the 19th minute when Maseko sprinted onto a through ball, thwarted only by a last-minute tackle from Lee Gi-hyuk.
South Africa’s Thapelo Maseko celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates (Reuters)
South Africans celebrate after triumphing in the World Cup Group A match against South Korea in Guadalupe (AP)
South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu displayed impressive skills, making a crucial double save to deny both Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa.
Although South Africa faced limited threats in the second half, Maseko broke through with a brilliant goal, receiving a precise pass from Moremi. He deftly moved the ball onto his left foot and placed it perfectly into the bottom right corner of the net.
Reuters contributed to this report.