Canada continued its historic run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Africa in the Round of 32 on Sunday, booking a place in the last 16 for the first time ever.
Having already reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history, the Canadians took another significant step forward at Los Angeles Stadium thanks to a dramatic extra-time winner from Stephen Eustaquio.
With both sides locked in a tense and scoreless contest, Eustaquio produced the decisive moment in the second minute of stoppage time, unleashing a powerful volley from outside the penalty area that flew into the net and sparked celebrations among the Canadian supporters.
The breakthrough came after a match filled with missed opportunities. Canada created the better chances throughout regulation time, registering 12 attempts on goal, but struggled to convert their dominance into a lead.
A key turning point came in the 74th minute when captain Alphonso Davies made his tournament debut after recovering from injury.
Introduced from the bench, the Bayern Munich star immediately added pace and creativity to Canada’s attack, helping his side increase the pressure in the closing stages.
South Africa defended resolutely for much of the encounter and threatened on occasion, but ultimately fell short as Canada’s persistence paid off late in the match.
The victory sends Canada into uncharted territory, with a Round of 16 clash against either the Netherlands or Morocco awaiting.
The two nations are scheduled to meet on Monday to determine Canada’s next opponent.
