A 63rd-minute strike by Thapelo Maseko secured a famous 1–0 victory for South Africa against the higher-ranked Koreans. At the same time in Mexico City, co-hosts Mexico defeated Czechia 3–0 to finish top of Group A, while Bafana Bafana claimed second place and, in doing so, qualified for the FIFA World Cup knockout stages for the first time in the country’s history.

The reward is an eagerly anticipated Round of 32 showdown against co-hosts Canada on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Bloemfontein superfan Botha Msila (second from left) next to former Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United midfielder, Michael Morton. Photo: X

After opening their campaign with a disappointing 2–0 defeat to Mexico before grinding out a hard-fought 1–1 draw against Czechia, Bafana delivered their finest performance of the tournament when it mattered most.

Defensively they were disciplined, organised and courageous, while going forward they looked direct, confident and purposeful. It was the kind of display South African football supporters have long been waiting to see.

What has become increasingly clear throughout the tournament is the unity within Hugo Broos’ squad. This is a team built on trust, togetherness and belief, with every player willing to fight for the badge.

While South Africa’s memorable 2–1 victory over France in Bloemfontein during the 2010 Football World Cup remains one of the country’s greatest football moments, Thursday’s triumph over South Korea could arguably rank as Bafana’s biggest result on the global stage, given what was at stake.

Following the match, Williams praised the character and resilience of the squad and believes South African football has a bright future thanks to the exciting young talent emerging within the national setup.

“I’m lost for words  – I honestly don’t know what to say. I don’t know if there’s a better word than proud. I’m super proud and ecstatic,” said Williams, who produced another outstanding performance between the posts.

Ronwen Williams. Photo: Bafana Bafana

“Just for what this team has been through – the doubt, the doubters and the pressure of playing at this elite level – it’s not easy.

“To keep a clean sheet against such quality opposition, to perform the way we did and defend the way we did, speaks volumes about the character of this team.

“We were under siege, but we stayed strong. The mentality and character of these boys is incredible. Some of them are only 19, 20 and 21 years old, and the experience they’re gaining will only help South Africa.

“I’m just so happy and proud to be the leader of this team.”

Williams admitted there were nervous moments throughout the match, but the way Bafana responded under pressure showed just how much the side has matured during the tournament.

“Every game we talk about the critical phase being the first 15 minutes, and we extended that to the first water break because we’ve conceded early in previous matches,” the Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper added.

“Today we showed our character. We could still have gone behind after the first two or three minutes from a set-piece, so there’s plenty to learn. We need to show that grit from the very first second and prove that we’re here to compete and fight.

Thapelo Maseko became South Africa’s first man of the match at a Football World Cup. Photo: Bafana Bafana

“But to keep a clean sheet at the World Cup is an amazing feeling.

“We knew they would overload the wide areas and make a lot of positional exchanges, so our communication and handovers had to be spot on. In the second half we adjusted well.

“We accepted that we couldn’t defend everything, so we forced them wide, allowed them to cross and backed ourselves to deal with the deliveries into the box. The way our young players handled that challenge was incredible.

“I’m just so proud of these boys.”

The focus now turns to another daunting challenge against Canada. Like South Korea, the Canadians are ranked above South Africa, but Bafana have already shown that rankings count for very little when a team plays with courage, discipline and belief.

The Round of 32 encounter between South Africa and Canada at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles kicks off at 21:00 on Sunday.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek sm