South Africa reach knockout stage for first time with win over South Korea
Summary
South Africa reached the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup for the first time after beating South Korea 1-0. Thapelo Maseko scored the only goal in the second half, helping South Africa finish second in Group A behind Mexico.Key Facts
- South Africa lost their first match against Mexico but recovered with a draw and a win.
- The win against South Korea secured South Africa’s first-ever advancement to the World Cup knockout rounds.
- Thapelo Maseko scored the deciding goal in the 63rd minute.
- South Africa will face co-host Canada in the next round on June 28.
- South Korea’s coach left star player Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup but brought him on at halftime.
- Mexico won all their group matches and finished first in Group A with nine points.
- South Africa last played in the World Cup when they hosted it in 2010.
- South Africa’s coach Hugo Broos praised his team's effort over five years of work.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.