South Africa celebrated a momentous achievement on Wednesday as they secured their first-ever spot in the World Cup knockout stage, thanks to Thapelo Maseko’s decisive goal in the second half, which clinched a 1-0 win over South Korea. This victory leaves South Korea with a chance to advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
Maseko found the bottom corner of the net in the 63rd minute, propelling South Africa to four points in the tournament, trailing only behind Group A leaders Mexico, who triumphed over the Czech Republic with a 3-0 scoreline. South Korea, who began the match with star player Son Heung-min on the bench, remains with three points.
Previously, South Africa had struggled to progress beyond the group stage in their initial World Cup appearances in 1998, 2002, and 2010.
“It was a fantastic experience,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos stated. “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.
“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. “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.”
Despite South Korea holding the majority of possession, they struggled to create significant scoring opportunities. The match began well for them, with Kim Min-jae’s header being cleared off the line by Aubrey Modiba just two minutes in, followed by Lee Kang-in’s miss from inside the penalty area shortly thereafter.
As the game progressed, Bafana Bafana started to find their rhythm, nearly scoring in the 19th minute when Maseko sprinted onto a through ball, but Lee Ki-hyuk executed a remarkable last-minute tackle to thwart the attempt.
Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu showcased his skills with an impressive double save, first denying Thalente Mbatha and then smothering Evidence Makgopa’s follow-up shot.
After enduring early pressure from a South Korean team that found it challenging to generate clear chances, even after Son’s introduction at halftime, South Africa finally broke through. Tshepang Moremi delivered a pinpoint pass to Maseko, who adeptly shifted the ball to his preferred left foot and fired a low shot into the bottom right corner, securing a place in the last 32.
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