No Bafana, no party! South Africa stun South Korea to advance to FIFA World Cup R32

In a surprising turn of events, South Africa claimed a 1-0 victory over South Korea in Monterrey on Wednesday, securing the crucial points needed to advance to the round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The Bafana Bafana will face Canada on June 28 in Los Angeles, thanks to a second-half goal from Thapelo Maseko. The team showed a newfound energy and attacking prowess that had previously been lacking in their earlier matches against Mexico and Czechia.

Strategic Changes Pay Off

Prior to the match, head coach Hugo Broos responded to calls from fans to start Orlando Pirates star Relebohile Mofokeng, a decision that proved to be pivotal. Mofokeng had previously come off the bench in the match against Czechia and was absent in the opener against Mexico.

Joining him in the starting lineup was striker Evidence Makgopa, who had also made an impact in previous games. Meanwhile, South Korea made the questionable choice to bench star striker Son Heung-min, likely underestimating South Africa’s resolve.

The match opened with South Africa demonstrating their usual strategy, focusing on defense early. Their first real chance came in the 7th minute when Mofokeng, positioned in the penalty area, received a cross from Oswin Appollis but missed the target.

South Korea quickly retaliated, with Lee Kang In narrowly shooting wide. As the game progressed, Bafana’s offensive tactics began to take shape, highlighted by a near header from Makgopa that just grazed past the goal.

Second Half Breakthrough

Despite key chances in the first half, the teams went into halftime at 0-0. Notably, Yaya Sithole, who had faced criticism for a previous red card, rebounded effectively and made significant contributions in midfield.

After halftime, the Korean bench reacted to South Africa’s momentum by substituting in Son. However, it was Maseko who eventually broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute with an impressive finish, marking Bafana’s first non-penalty World Cup goal since 2010.

With only 20 minutes left, South Africa went on the defensive, a strategy that tested their resilience. In a nail-biting moment in the 93rd minute, goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made a crucial save to preserve the win, solidifying South Africa’s place in the tournament.