
South Africa have secured a place in the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time in history, after defeating South Korea by a narrow 1-0 score in the decisive Group A match.
The hero of the match was Thapelo Maseko, who scored the only goal of the match in the 63rd minute after a precise assist from Tshepang Moremi. Thanks to this victory, South Africa finished the group in second place, behind Mexico, which won all three of its matches.
In the round of 16, the South Africans will face Canada, the second-placed team in Group B, in a match to be held on Sunday in Inglewood, California.
South Africa's road to qualification was not easy. The team started the World Cup with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico, before securing a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic thanks to a late goal. In the final match, a win over South Korea was the only result that guaranteed them a place in the next round.
The team known as "Bafana Bafana" had failed to advance past the group stage in the 1998, 2002 and 2010 editions, when it was the host country.
RESULT:
South Africa 1-0 South Korea
Maseko 63'