2026 FIFA World Cup | Round of 32
- Canada 1-0 South Africa
South Africa’s dream run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to an agonising end after a 1-0 extra-time defeat to co-hosts Canada in the Round of 32 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Bafana Bafana matched the hosts for long periods in a tightly contested encounter and looked set to force a penalty shootout after holding Canada scoreless for 90 minutes. However, their resistance was finally broken in the second minute of extra time when Stephen Eust谩quio struck a stunning long range volley from outside the box to send the home fans into celebration.
Canada had created several chances throughout the match but struggled to convert them. The hosts found fresh energy in the 74th minute when captain Alphonso Davies made his first appearance of the tournament after recovering from injury. His introduction added pace and urgency to Canada’s attack as they searched for a breakthrough.
Despite the defeat, South Africa leave the tournament with heads held high after reaching the knockout stage and producing several spirited performances. Canada, meanwhile, made more history by advancing to the Round of 16 for the first time and will now face either the Netherlands or Morocco in Houston on July 4.
