South Africa have reached the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history by finishing second in Group A with a 1-0 victory over South Korea.
Thapelo Maseko netted a deserved winner in the 63rd minute to set up a round-of-32 tie with Canada on Sunday as their remarkable revival continued under manager Hugo Broos following their humbling nine-man defeat to Mexico in the opening game.
Heung-Min Son’s difficult tournament continued as he was benched for the first time in 13 World Cup games by South Korea boss Myung-Bo Hong, whose side failed to build on their victory over the Czech Republic and now face a nerve-wracking wait to see if they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
South Korea were unable to make their 68 per cent possession count in Guadalupe, lacking a cutting edge as South Africa had more shots and recorded a higher xG on their way to earning a famous victory.