South Africa have reached the knockout phase of a FIFA World Cup for the first time thanks to a 1-0 triumph over South Korea at Estadio Monterrey on Thursday morning.
Bafana Bafana finished second on the Group A log (behind co-hosts Mexico, who defeated Czechia in the group’s other match) and will play in the first Round of 32 match on Sunday night (21:00 CAT), tackling another co-host, Canada, in Los Angeles.
South Africa made three changes to the starting XI compared to their 1-1 draw with Czechia, as Teboho Mokoena (suspended), Jayden Adams and Iqraam Rayners made way for Yaya Sithole, Relebohile Mofokeng and Evidence Makgopa.
Bafana have been plagued by conceding early goals at this tournament, and they nearly did so again: inside the opening eight minutes South Korea’s Kim Min-Jae saw a header from a corner blocked on the goal line by Aubrey Modiba, while Lee Kang-In hit a deflected shot just wide of the target.
On the 30-minute mark Bafana should have claimed the lead: Thalente Mbatha’s long-range shot was parried by Kim Seun-Gyu to Evidence Makgopa, but the striker hit his effort straight at the Korean goalkeeper, who gratefully cradled the ball.
Nine minutes later a swift counter attack from South Africa ended with Thapelo Maseko pulling the trigger from just outside the 18-yard area, but his shot flashed just over the crossbar. The match was locked at 0-0 at half time.
The start of the second stanza saw the Taegeuk Warriors make a triple change, including the introduction of talismanic forward Son Heung-Min.
South Africa had the first clear chance after the restart, with Mofokeng beautifully putting Maseko into space in the 51st minute, but the winger saw his space closed down quickly and his shot was blocked.
South Korea responded with an effort on target on the hour mark, as Oh Hyeon-Gyu met a cross from the right and steered a header across goal, but Ronwen Williams made a relatively comfortable save.
Bafana Bafana broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute, with Maseko finally finding the back of the net. The 22-year-old controlled a square pass from substitute Tshepang Moremi before firing a low drive through the legs of Seol Young-Woo and beyond the left hand of goalkeeper Kim.
The remainder of the match saw South Africa defending their lead, with Korea’s only notable chance coming late on when Park Jin-Seob flicked a header on from Jens Castrop’s cross, but Williams was well placed to quell the danger.
South Africa (0) 1 (T. Maseko 63’)
South Korea 0
SA: R. Williams, K. Mudau, I. Okon, M. Mbokazi, A. Modiba, Y. Sithole, T. Mbatha, T. Maseko (I. Rayners 75’), R. Mofokeng (J. Adams 80’), O. Appollis (T. Moremi 62’), E. Makgopa
SK: Kim SG, Lee HB, Kim MJ (Park JS 66’), Lee GH, Seol YW, Paik SO (Jim JG 46’), Hwang IB, Lee TS (J. Castrop 46’), Lee KI, Hwang HC (Son HM 46’), Oh HG (Cho GS 74’)
