Thapelo Maseko's second-half strike secured a historic 1-0 victory for South Africa over South Korea on Wednesday, sending the team into the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. The win, which came in the 63rd minute, sparked jubilant scenes as Maseko fired into the bottom corner to put South Africa on four points, behind Group A winners Mexico, who beat Czechia 3-0. South Korea, who started with talisman Son Heung-min on the bench, have three points and still have a chance of advancing as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
Historic Achievement for South Africa
South Africa had failed to advance from the group stage in their first three World Cup appearances in 1998, 2002, and 2010. Coach Hugo Broos praised his team's tactical discipline, saying, "It was a fantastic experience. It was so tough today, but it was a good game. I think tactically we were very good and it was difficult for South Korea to find space." He added, "We scored, then there were 20 minutes of heart-stopping moments. It's historical, and I'm very happy for the guys. I've been working with them for five years."
Match Details
South Korea dominated possession early but lacked cutting edge. Kim Min-jae’s header was cleared off the line by Aubrey Modiba after two minutes, and Lee Kang-in fired over from inside the penalty area shortly after. Bafana Bafana grew into the contest and nearly struck in the 19th minute when Maseko raced onto a through ball, only for Lee Ki-hyuk to produce a superb last-ditch tackle. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu then made an excellent double save, denying Thalente Mbatha before smothering Evidence Makgopa’s follow-up effort.
Breakthrough and Celebration
After soaking up early pressure against a South Korea side that struggled to create clear openings, even with Son coming on at half-time, South Africa deservedly found the breakthrough. Tshepang Moremi slipped a precise pass into Maseko, who shifted the ball onto his preferred left foot before drilling a low finish into the bottom right-hand corner. The goal sent South Africa into the last 32 and set up a meeting with co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles on June 28.
