Stephen Eustaquio hammered home a rasping strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 92nd minute to give Canada a 1-0 victory over South Africa on Sunday, propelling the co-hosts into the World Cup last 16 for the first time in their history.
Eustaquio received the ball on the edge of the South Africa penalty area and powered it past diving goalkeeper Ronwen Williams in a thrilling conclusion to the first knockout-round match of the World Cup.
South Africa, who had had seemed content to play for extra time and a possible penalty shootout, made a few furious but unsuccessful attempts to level before the final whistle as the sun broke through the clouds at Los Angeles Stadium.
Canada will next face either the Netherlands or Morocco on July 4 in Houston for a place in the quarter-finals.
“We just kept believing, we kept pushing and I think we couldn’t have imagined it any other way,” Eustaquio said.
“It was an amazing goal. When I shot it, I felt everybody shot it with me. Everybody put a little bit of power on it, and it went to the back of the net, so I’m very happy.”
Canada coach Jesse Marsch said his team had chances throughout the match but were not “lethal enough”.
“And then it falls to Steph and I just hope he’ll put it on frame and give it a chance and he buries it,” Marsch said.
“The hard work from these guys, the character – they’re Canadian heroes. That’s what I told them at the end. They are now Canadian heroes. I’m so happy for them.”
