Canada wins in thriller, advances to FIFA World Cup Round of 16

Canada’s historic run at the FIFA World Cup will continue following a nail-biting victory over South Africa on Sunday.

In a game that looked destined for extra time, Stephen Eustáquio became an instant Canadian hero with the game-winning goal in second-half stoppage time.

“We really wanted to give this win to all the Canadians,” Eustáquio told TSN after the match. “When I shot, I felt everybody shot with me. Everybody put a bit of power on it and it went into the back of the net.”

The Canadians’ 1-0 win at Los Angeles Stadium in the Round of 32 match moves them onto a Round of 16 clash with either Morocco or the Netherlands in Houston on Saturday.

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This was Canada’s first-ever match in the knockout stage of a senior men’s FIFA World Cup. It came after they finished second in Group B with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia & Herzegovina, a 6-0 win over Qatar and a 2-1 loss to Switzerland.

While Canada lost out on the home-field advantage it had enjoyed through its first three games, thousands of Canadian supporters made the journey down to California for the big occasion.

Canada’s players react at the end of the World Cup round of 32 soccer match against South Africa in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Head coach Jesse Marsch made four changes to the Canada starting line-up from that final group-stage match against the Swiss. Most notably, central defender Moïse Bombito made his first start of the tournament.

Eustáquio, Tani Oluwaseyi and Liam Millar, all of whom came on as second-half substitutes against Switzerland, returned to Canada’s starting lineup.

It was a predictably cagey start, with the first clear-cut chance coming to Jonathan David in the 17th minute. His shot, coming off a Eustáquio corner kick, went wide of the South African goal.

Five minutes later, Derek Cornelius got his head to the end of a Eustáquio free kick, but it was right at South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. Oluwaseyi had Canada’s next attempt at goal in the 34th minute, a tough-angle shot that Williams caught.

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Canada’s Moise Bombito attempts a pass in Sunday’s FIFA World Cup match against South Africa. (Credit: Audrey Magny/Canada Soccer)

Canada nearly got the breakthrough in the waning minutes of the first half as a Bombito header was scrambled off the goal line by the South African defenders.

There were loud shouts for a penalty kick in first half stoppage time as Richie Laryea went down while streaking into the penalty area. But the referee waved away the appeals, and was not advised by the video assistant referee to give it another look.

Despite Canada loading on the pressure, the game went into halftime at 0-0.

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Not much separated the sides out of the halftime break. Second-half substitute Niko Sigur sent Oluwaseyi through on goal in the 65th minute, but Williams made a good save, and the rebound was cleared before David could pounce.

South Africa was clearly content to sit back and soak up the pressure, to the chagrin of the nearly 70,000 fans in attendance.

With the game at a stalemate, captain Alphonso Davies finally entered the action for the first time in this World Cup. He entered as a sub in the 75th minute and brought immediate energy, helping set up Promise David for a long-distance shot that went just centimetres wide.

As the minutes ticked down and everyone prepared for the possibility of extra time or even a penalty shootout, the magic happened.

Canada’s Stephen Eustaquio (7) celebrates scoring their opening goal against South Africa during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Jacob Shaffelburg whipped in a cross from the right side, headed away by a South African defender. Eustáquio picked it up at the edge of the penalty area and stung a low shot into the corner of Williams’ goal.

“I felt joy, I felt relief,” Davies told TSN after the match, speaking of seeing the goal go in. “It was total joy for us as a team.”

The Round of 16 match will be Canada’s most difficult test yet, against one of the world’s top-ranked teams. Morocco currently sits No. 6 in the FIFA World Ranking, the Netherlands are No. 7.

Canada knows the challenge they face, but aren’t shying away from it.

“If we keep believing, we keep working, things could go our way,” Eustáquio told TSN after the match.

Davies, who could be healthy enough for his first start of the World Cup, told TSN that the team will celebrate this win before moving into total focus mode.

“Whichever team comes into that game, it’s going to be a good game, and we know we’re coming up against tougher and tougher opponents,” he said. “We enjoy the moment now but tomorrow, definitely full focus.”