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Stephen Eustaquio scored in the 90th minute to give Canada a 1-0 victory over South Africa this Sunday at the , in the first match of the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
The 29-year-old midfielder struck a volley from outside the box that found its way into the bottom corner of the South African net, avoiding extra time and securing Canada's place in the next round.
The match was close throughout its entirety. South Africa dominated possession with 58% compared to Canada's 42%, but the North Americans were more incisive: they took 12 shots compared to just six from the Africans, and seven of those shots hit the target, while only one did for the opponent.
One of the most striking moments of the second half was the entry of Alphonso Davies in the 75th minute, replacing Tajon Buchanan, which injected speed into the Canadian attack in the final minutes.
Canada also received two yellow cards: the first for N. Saliba in the 54th minute, who was substituted five minutes later, and the second for N. Sigur in the 67th minute. South Africa finished the match without any cautions.
Regarding the classification context, Canada arrived at the match as the second in Group B with four points, after crushing Qatar 6-0 in the group stage and drawing with Bosnia and Herzegovina, although they lost 2-1 to Switzerland in the last round.
South Africa, for its part, made history by qualifying as the second in Group A with four points, marking the first time the African team advanced past the group stage in a World Cup, something it failed to achieve in 1998, 2002, or as the host in 2010.
With the elimination of South Africa, the tournament ends for the African teams, although they achieve the historic merit of reaching the knockout stage for the first time.
Canada, one of the three host countries of the tournament alongside the United States and Mexico, played this match in its third World Cup and advanced beyond the group stage for the first time in its history.
In the round of 16, the Canadians will face the winner of the match between Netherlands and Morocco, scheduled for Monday, June 29, at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey.
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