South Africa has done something they have never done before. The Bafana Bafana team beat South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday 24th of June, and that win was enough to send them through to the Round of 32, the first time in the country’s history that they have made it past the group stage of a World Cup.
The only goal of the match came from Thapelo Maseko, who made the winning goal in a game where South Africa were the better team for most of the match. Rele Mafekong also stood out for South Africa, putting in one of the best individual performances of the tournament so far for the team.
The result meant South Africa finished second in their group, behind co-hosts Mexico, who won the group with a perfect record. South Korea, despite playing well in patches, finished third and now has to wait nervously to see if their results are good enough to sneak into the knockout stage anyway, since the eight best third-place teams across the tournament also qualify.
So what happens next for South Africa? They will play Canada in the Round of 32 this Sunday in Los Angeles. It is a huge match for the country, and for African football fans everywhere who have followed Bafana Bafana through a difficult start to this tournament, including a visa mix-up that almost stopped the team from travelling at all, and an opening loss to Mexico.
After all of that, reaching the knockout stage for the first time ever is a moment worth celebrating. South Africa have shown they belong on this stage. Now they get the chance to prove it again against Canada.
Africa Presents is a Pan-African digital magazine and monthly publication covering politics, business, economy, culture, tech, and the stories shaping Africa and its diaspora. Visit africapresents.com and follow @AfricaPresents for daily coverage and monthly themed magazine editions.
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