Eustaquio saves Canada at the death: 1:0 against South Africa sends co-hosts into the World Cup round of 16

Dominance without reward: The first half

At the other end, almost nothing was seen of the South Africans, the "Bafana Bafana," in the first half. A bouncing effort from Teboho Mokoena that goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau dealt with without great difficulty (6') remained the only noteworthy attacking action. Little changed in the picture after the break. South Africa's structured attacks "could be counted on one hand" – even though head coach Hugo Broos had thoroughly prepared his side for this opponent after their strong group-stage performance.

It took 62 minutes for Canada to register its first dangerous shot on goal. After that, however, the chances began to mount. Goalkeeper Williams saved a shot from Tani Oluwaseyi, who had run free toward him (65'), before the 75th minute brought the moment Canadian fans had long been waiting for: Coach Marsch introduced Alphonso Davies.

Comeback after 15 months: Davies' return

The 52-year-old coach had previously announced the Bayern Munich player's involvement publicly, hinted at it and ultimately – after a weeks-long injury layoff – made it happen. "He's ready and he'll play," Marsch had said beforehand. "You can see he's in a good place, but he can't yet deliver 100 percent of his performance," the American described the state of his protégé after the match.

Shortly after coming on, Canada had the next chance. Promise David's shot following Davies' assist flew just wide of the goal (76'). It remained a grueling battle, during which South Africa came close through Oswin Appollis from around 18 meters and briefly celebrated a goal that was ruled out. "We'll see," Marsch had said before the game when asked about a potential round-of-16 matchup.

The deliverance came late. After a weakly cleared cross from German-based Ime Okon, who is under contract with Hannover 96, the ball fell to Eustaquio. The 29-year-old let fly from the second tier of players and found the far corner – a strike that delivered the Canadians the greatest achievement in their soccer history.

The late strike: Eustaquio's emotional moment

For Eustaquio, it was a very special moment. "I'm very happy," said the midfielder, who fought back tears during the interview. "Everything I do is for my family, my daughter, my girlfriend, my brother and my friends. They're all right there with me." The emotional words had a backstory: his mother had passed away in 2023, and his father one year later.

For Alphonso Davies, too, the evening held special significance. In March 2025, the left back – who often plays a line further forward as a left winger for Canada – had torn his cruciate ligament in the third-place match of the CONCACAF Nations League against the USA (2-1). Third place in the Nations League had been the Canadian team's biggest achievement to date and also marked the beginning of a long period of suffering for the squad's star.

More than 15 months later, Davies now celebrated his comeback – and in the very stadium where he had previously played. "Being out on the pitch and celebrating with the guys meant a lot to me," said the Bayern Munich full back. "Seeing the ball in the net, and then celebrating with the team is really something special."

Marsch raves about his "Canadian heroes"

Head coach Jesse Marsch was full of praise after the final whistle. "I'm so happy," declared the 52-year-old, who took charge of the team in May 2024. "I told my guys that they are now Canadian heroes. The hard work my guys have put in, their character, their strength – that's what makes them Canadian heroes. For Canadians, where soccer is on the way up a bit, this really means a great deal."

Marsch had delivered his address to the team at the center circle, repeatedly kissing the Canadian crest on his sweater afterward. The players ran a lap of honor through the ultra-modern Los Angeles stadium carrying a giant Canadian flag. "They can be proud of that," said ARD expert Bastian Schweinsteiger.

The self-image of the coach, an American, is remarkable. "I'm American and proud of it, but the ideals and character traits of Canadians really suit me well," said Marsch, who once coached RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga. "We'll do everything in our power to win it."

For South Africa – which, like Canada, had reached a World Cup knockout stage for the first time – the tournament ended in disappointment. Captain Ronwen Williams, who had made several saves against Canada in the first half, explained: "The fact that not much was expected of the team against the Asians, we took that as motivation and as energy to fight." Coach Hugo Broos could only offer a dry summary: "Today it wasn't meant to be." The national team was already looking ahead: "But you mustn't leave us," it wrote on social media.

No more home games: Canada now only in the USA

Despite the triumph, there is a small fly in the ointment for Canada. As runner-up in the group, the team – despite its role as a World Cup co-host – will no longer play in front of its own fans in Vancouver but exclusively in the USA, just as it did in the Round of 32. "It's a shame we didn't have that in Vancouver in front of our fans," said Marsch, who is looking forward to the upcoming duel: "We're looking forward to a match against one of the two giants."

In the round of 16, Canada will face the winner of the match between Morocco and the Netherlands – who meet on Tuesday (3 a.m. CEST) – on July 4 (7 p.m. CEST) in Houston. For the "Maple Leafs," the dream on the biggest soccer stage continues – with a coach who speaks of his players as "Canadian heroes" and a captain whose comeback required a wait of more than 15 months.