Canada strike at the death to break South Africa hearts and book spot in last 16

[p]With both sides contesting their first-ever knockout game at a World Cup finals, it promised to be a high-stakes affair in Los Angeles.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]South Africa[/a] started brightly in the opening quarter-hour, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mokoena-teboho/MFTeufFd/"]Teboho Mokoena[/a] seeing a long-range effort comfortably saved by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/crepeau-maxime/bTqrxMoS/"]Maxime Crepeau[/a], before at the other end, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/david-jonathan/CSvtXj2E/"]Jonathan David[/a] volleyed wide when well-placed in the box.[/p][p]Despite becoming the first World Cup host nation to play a match outside of their own borders, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/x4toKORL/"]Canada[/a] grew into the contest, and they spurned a glorious chance to take the lead when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cornelius-derek/Wvb8v5p5/"]Derek Cornelius[/a] glanced a free header straight into the hands of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-ronwen/lQRX0UzA/"]Ronwen Williams[/a] from six yards.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="a1a0ba5a-6272-457b-8ad6-a2f2cd3e912b" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="3cd3f712-1b4c-4f3b-90f2-ae75fd4f5421" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Jesse Marsch’s men continued to probe after the hydration break, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tani-oluwaseyi/nLnBWjlN/"]Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi[/a] saw a powerful strike thwarted by Williams before the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/villarreal/lUatW5jE/"]Villarreal[/a] forward looped another effort harmlessly onto the roof of the net.[/p][p]Undeterred by those missed opportunities, the Canucks remained in the ascendancy as half time approached, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bombito-moise/4dBTEEF3/"]Moise Bombito[/a]’s goalbound header was expertly cleared off the line by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/modiba-aubrey/tWExAYOC/"]Aubrey Modiba[/a], as Bafana Bafana made it through to the interval unscathed.[/p][p]Hugo Broos’ side looked to stem Canada’s growing momentum at the start of the second period, with clear-cut openings in short supply before the hour mark.[/p][p]However, it was the Canucks who again went close to breaking the deadlock in the 65th minute, as Williams stood firm to deny Oluwaseyi before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbokazi-mbekezile/zg795kmf/"]Mbekezeli Mbokazi[/a] reacted fastest to prevent David from heading in the rebound.[/p][image alt="Momentum graph" id="a95567b2-1c55-4956-a6c1-cc540f7ddb13" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="b04ea78a-c150-452f-8ab8-72744d638e7a" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Determined to make their pressure count, Marsch turned to his substitute bench with time ticking into the final 20 minutes, including the introduction of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/davies-alphonso/4r3PXV20/"]Alphonso Davies[/a] for the first time in the tournament.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern[/a] full-back nearly had an immediate impact, threading a superb ball into the path of Promise David, only for the striker to drag his effort inches wide of the target.[/p][p]South Africa briefly threatened at the other end when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/appollis-oswin/6e9QI2W6/"]Oswin Appollis[/a]’ long-range strike was repelled by Crepeau, but that was as good as it got for Bafana Bafana as Marsch’s men snatched a famous victory in stoppage time.[/p][p][b]A loose ball dropped to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eustaquio-stephen/Uk00cWLU/"]Eustaquio[/a] on the edge of the box, and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-fc/txUJt9AR/"]Los Angeles FC[/a] man powered a sublime finish into the bottom corner to score Canada’s first-ever WC knockout goal.[/b][/p][image alt="Eustaquio (C) netted a late winner" id="a23384de-982b-48ca-b1dc-ac2889583eb8" credit-line="REUTERS / Matthew Childs" guid="626a193a-65c1-4b47-a674-59acf344266e" original-width="3259" original-height="2116" /][p]That moment of brilliance proved to be the difference, as the Canucks saw out the closing stages to set up a fascinating Round of 16 clash with either the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/netherlands/WYintcWb/"]Netherlands[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a].[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eustaquio-stephen/Uk00cWLU/"]Stephen Eustaquio[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/x4toKORL/"]Canada[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/canada-x4toKORL/south-africa-W2ijYvlr/?mid=EZmXxG15"]See all the stats from the match here[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]