MONTERREY — South Africa reached the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in their history with a stunning 1-0 victory over South Korea. Maseko’s 63rd-minute strike from a left-wing cross proved decisive, as Bafana Bafana became the seventh African nation to reach the knockout stage. South Korea, needing only a draw to qualify directly, kept Son Heung-min on the bench until they fell behind — a decision that will haunt Korean football for years.
Group A Final Standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 9 |
| 2 | South Africa | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | South Korea | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
| 4 | Czechia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 1 |
Sources: Xinhua, Sohu