Stephen Eustáquio scored deep into stoppage time to lift Canada to a dramatic 1-0 victory over South Africa on Sunday in the opening match of the World Cup knockout stage.
(Jared C. Tilton – FIFA via Getty Images)
Stephen Eustáquio produced the biggest moment in Canadian men’s soccer history on Sunday.
Eustáquio scored a 92nd minute goal to give Canada a 1-0 win in the World Cup Round of 32 over South Africa. Eustáquio buried the shot after a headed clearance fell right in front of him at the top of the penalty box.
Before Eustáquio’s goal, the game felt destined for added time. Canada squandered numerous great chances in front of the South African goal thanks to missed shots and some incredible South African defending.
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Instead, Canada’s World Cup dream continues after it made the knockout rounds for the first time. Canada will play either the Netherlands or Morocco on July 4 in Houston.
As he talked to his team after the game, Canadian coach Jesse Marsch called his players “Canadian heroes” multiple times.
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Canada’s earlier squandered opportunities
South Africa was more than happy to let Canada dictate the game and Canada seemed snake-bitten when it had chances to take the lead. South Africa’s Aubrey Modiba made an incredible goal line clearance off a corner kick in the first half in a sequence that looked like a sure Canadian goal.
In the second half, Canada had a phenomenal counter-attacking opportunity, but Mbkekezeli Mbokazi was able to clear a deflected shot out for a corner.
Canada forced South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams to make five saves and produced 12 shots.
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South Africa’s attack was nearly nonexistent. It produced 0.13 expected goals from just six total shots and one shot on goal.
Alphonso Davies finally takes the field
Canada could have Alphonso Davies for more than just a fraction of the game in the Round of 16.
Davies missed the entirety of the group stage as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury he suffered while playing for Bayern Munich in the spring. But Marsch made it clear ahead of Sunday’s game that Davies would actually be available Sunday.
Davies came on in the 75th minute and looked rusty with multiple passes in the final third that went directly to South African defenders. But Canada was also more dangerous overall when he was bombing down the left — even if the game felt destined for extra time just before Eustáquio’s strike.
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Five days rest between games could bring Davies close to full match fitness for the next round. And even if he isn’t Canada will need its star for as long as he can stay on the field to have a realistic chance of upsetting either Morocco or the Netherlands.
