Canada get first knockout win over South Africa

South Africa 0-1 Canada

INGLEWOOD, CA–Because Canada lost to Switzerland in the final group game in Vancouver, last Wednesday, they would have to go to Los Angeles for their Round of 32 match against South Africa. Despite not having a home field advantage, though, they mustered through a 1-0 result over Bafana Bafana to win their first knockout stage match ever and advance to the Round of 16 against either Netherlands or Morocco who play Monday in Monterrey (8pm CT, Fox/Telemundo).

Canada had the better chances to score in this match, but were mostly frustrated by the South African defense, be it the six saves by Ronwen Williams or interventions by defenders Mbekezeli Mbokazi. Aubrey Modiba cleared a Moise Bambino shot off line line and Williams made the save on Tajon Buchanan in the 44th minute..Both Williams and Mbokazi helped keep Canada off the scoresheet in the 65th minute with Williams denying Tani Oluwaseyi, and Mbokazi preventing Jonathan David to get a shot on the rebound.

But just as it appeared the match would go to extra time, Canada would get one in stoppage time. Jacob Shaffleburg’s cross into the box was headed away by Imo Okon, but right to the feet of Stephen Eustaquio who would blast it past Williams for the game’s only score. LAFC’s Eustaquio is now the fifth MLS player to score at this year’s World Cup.

“I feel very happy that I scored the goal, that I was able to help the team,” said Eustaquio. ”But that shot, I felt that everybody in the team shot that ball with me. We are very good, we believed a lot in this game. We knew that if we were our best, we could win and we did history.”

It was history for both Canada and South Africa to make the knockout stages, but Canada moves on while South Africa can leave with their heads held high by advancing in a group few expected them to advance from. For Canada, the focus will now shift to Saturday in Houston and they will await either the Oranje of the Netherlands or the Atlas Lions of Morocco.