South Africa is heading to the knockout rounds of the World Cup for the first time after a 1-0 win over South Korea.
Thapelo Maseko scored a 63rd-minute objective to transfer South Africa from last to second in Group A. The win means South Africa will play Canada on Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, in the first Round of 32 sport.
It’s a outstanding turnaround for the South Africans after they misplaced 2-0 to Mexico to open the World Cup and completed that sport with 9 gamers thanks to two crimson playing cards. After a draw with Czechia, South Africa wanted to get a win to have any probability at making the knockout rounds. A tie would do it no good.
Advertisement
Czechia misplaced 3-0 to Mexico, as Mexico turned the first crew in the 2026 World Cup to win all three of its group stage video games. The multi-goal lead allowed Mexico supervisor Javier Aguirre to bring on goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa in the 78th minute.
Ochoa, 40, joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo this summer season as the solely males to be chosen for six World Cup squads. Wednesday night time’s look meant Ochoa has performed in 4 World Cups. He first emerged as a starter for Mexico throughout the 2014 World Cup.
Like South Africa, Czechia wanted to win to have an actual shot of creating the knockout rounds. Instead, Czechia will end last in Group A.
Group A desk, outcomes
|
W |
D |
L |
GD |
Pts. |
||
|
1 |
Mexico |
3 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
9 |
|
2 |
South Africa |
1 |
1 |
1 |
-1 |
4 |
|
3 |
South Korea |
1 |
1 |
1 |
-1 |
3 |
|
4 |
Czechia |
0 |
1 |
2 |
-4 |
1 |
Thursday, June 11: Mexico 2, South Africa 0
Thursday, June 11: Korea Republic 2, Czechia 1
Thursday, June 18: Czechia 1, South Africa 1
Thursday, June 18: Mexico 1 South Korea 0
Wednesday, June 24: Mexico 3, Czechia 0
Wednesday, June 24: South Africa 1, South Korea 0
Advertisement
Who will Mexico, South Africa play in knockout spherical?
Mexico had Group A locked up earlier than Wednesday night time. It will play June 30 in Mexico City in opposition to a third-place crew, earlier than a July 5 sport at the Azteca in opposition to the winner of Group L — doubtless England — or one other third-place crew.
If South Africa can beat Canada in the Round of 32, then it’ll tackle the winner of Group F or the runner-up in Group C in the Round of 16 on July 4 in Houston.
Chances of third-place crew making knockout spherical
South Korea’s hopes of creating the knockout rounds are usually not toast. But they don’t seem to be nice, both.
Among the three third-place groups which have performed three video games, South Korea is forward of Scotland on objective differential after Scotland misplaced 3-0 to Brazil on Wednesday night. But it is behind Bosnia and Herzegovina. South Korea could possibly be in bother if each Cape Verde and Belgium tie or win and one in every of the three remaining third-place groups on one level who’ve but to play their third sport get a win.
Advertisement
Can this group produce a World Cup winner?
In quick, most likely not. This is a Mexico crew that might upset England in the Round of 16 and get to the quarterfinals. But is it adequate to win a sport outdoors of Mexico? That’s what El Tri can have to do from the quarterfinals and past. And the probability of that not taking place is why Mexico’s odds are 33-1 to win the World Cup.