Stephen Eustaquio's last-minute goal secured a hard-fought victory for Canada against South Africa in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup early this morning (June 29). Jesse Marsch's team will face the winner of the Netherlands vs. Morocco match at Houston Stadium.
"We worked very hard to get this win. We want to dedicate this win to all Canadians. It was a great goal, but when I took the shot, I felt like the whole team was shooting with me and it went in, so I'm very happy."
"We'll try our best for the match against Morocco or the Netherlands. Canada will give our opponents the toughest match of this World Cup . We did very well today and next week's match will be great." - Stephen Eustaquio, Canada's goalscorer, shared after the match.
This was Eustaquio's first goal for the Canadian national team since late 2023, and perhaps the most important goal of his career, as it helped Canada secure their first-ever knockout victory, and Eustaquio's career is certainly looking bright.
The knockout match between Bafana Bafana (South Africa's nickname) and Canada was a thrilling affair at Los Angeles Stadium. After a goalless first half, Canada regained control after the break.
Loud cheers erupted when Alphonso Davies was brought on in the 75th minute . Davies' return to the very place where he had been injured 15 months earlier – and Stephen Eustaquio's 92nd-minute goal – sent their fans at Los Angeles Stadium into a frenzy of joy.
South Africa left with their heads held high, having reached the knockout stage for the first time in history.
In the early hours of June 30th, a series of exciting matches will take place. At midnight, Brazil will play Japan; Germany will face Paraguay at 3:30 AM, and the Netherlands will play Morocco at 8:00 AM (Vietnam time).