Canada, a co-host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, won its first World Cup tournament match and advanced to the round of 16.
Canada defeated South Africa 1-0 in their 2026 FIFA World Cup round-of-32 match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, with Stephen Eustaquio scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner in the 90th-plus-2nd minute of the second half, played Sunday Korea time.
Canada, which reached the round of 32 as the runner-up in Group B for its first-ever World Cup tournament appearance, also brought down South Africa to become the first team to advance to the round of 16 in this tournament.
South Africa, which narrowly joined the round of 32 as the runner-up in Group A, had to settle for its first-ever tournament appearance after the loss.
Canada controlled the match by pressing South Africa from early in the first half. Beginning with Eustaquio's long-range shot in the seventh minute, Canada went on the offensive, and in the 44th minute Moise Bombito, Derek Cornelius and Tajon Buchanan fired successive shots, but all were blocked by the goalkeeper and the defensive wall.
Unable to break through South Africa's goal until late in the second half, Canada finally scored in stoppage time.
In the second minute of second-half stoppage time, when a cross delivered from the right flank rebounded off a defender, Eustaquio struck a powerful right-footed shot from the front of the penalty arc to find the back of the South African net.
Eustaquio's goal ultimately proved to be the winner, and Canada advanced to the round of 16.
Canada will play its round-of-16 match next Friday against the winner of the round-of-32 match between the Netherlands and Morocco, to be played Monday at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico. The round-of-16 match will be held at Houston Stadium in the United States.
