Overview
- South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday to advance to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 for the first time in the nation’s history.
- Thapelo Maseko scored the decisive goal in the second half and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made a vital stoppage‑time save to preserve the lead.
- Head coach Hugo Broos defended his tactical choices after the match while South Korea manager Hong Myung‑bo said benching Son Heung‑min was likely a mistake.
- Young attackers Relebohile Mofokeng and Maseko plus several domestic‑league and overseas players were singled out for standout performances that changed South Africa’s tournament trajectory.
- South Africa will play co‑host Canada in Los Angeles on Sunday evening with the country celebrating broadly at home and South Korea awaiting confirmation of a possible advance as one of the best third‑placed teams under the expanded 48‑team format.