Canada beats South Africa 1-0 in dramatic World Cup opener
Canada's men's national team became the first to reach the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, defeating South Africa 1-0 with a stoppage-time goal in Inglewood on Sunday.
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The Canadian men's football team secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over South Africa on Sunday in Inglewood, becoming the first side to advance to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup. The only goal came in the second minute of stoppage time, scored by Stephen Eustáquio, who fired a loose ball into the bottom left corner from the edge of the penalty area.
Canada dominated the match, creating numerous chances. South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made several crucial saves, denying headers from Derek Cornelius and Moïse Bombito, as well as shots from Tajon Buchanan, Tani Oluwaseyi, and Jonathan David. However, Williams was finally beaten in stoppage time.
In the Round of 16, Canada will face either the Netherlands or Morocco. The two teams had only met once before, in a friendly in 2007.
South Africa finished second in Group A behind Mexico, while Canada placed second in Group B. This is the first World Cup featuring 48 teams, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The semifinals are scheduled for July 14 and 15, with the final on July 19.
