By Daily Review Online
South Africa secured a historic place in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating South Korea 1-0 in their final Group A match on Wednesday.
Thapelo Maseko scored the decisive goal in the 63rd minute as Bafana Bafana finished second in the group behind Mexico and advanced beyond the group stage for the first time in the country’s history.
The achievement marks a remarkable turnaround for South Africa, who began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico. A hard-fought draw against the Czech Republic kept their hopes alive before the crucial victory over South Korea in Monterrey.
South Korea started brightly and created several early chances, but South Africa gradually grew into the contest. Both sides missed opportunities before Maseko finally broke the deadlock, finishing calmly from a Tshepang Moremi cross.
South Korea pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but were unable to break through South Africa’s defence.
An emotional South Africa coach Hugo Broos hailed the achievement as historic, praising the progress his team has made over the past five years.
South Africa will now face Canada in the Round of 32 on June 28.
In the group’s other match, Mexico maintained their perfect record with a 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic. Goals from Mateo Chavez, Julian Quinones and Alvaro Fidalgo secured top spot with nine points from three matches.
The Czech Republic finished bottom of the group and were eliminated from the tournament.