For a country better known for hockey, Sunday marked a historic shift. Canada defeated South Africa 1-0 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, claiming their first-ever World Cup knockout round victory.
The decisive moment came in the second minute of stoppage time. Porto midfielder Stephen Eustáquio struck from the edge of the penalty area, scoring his fifth international goal and sending Canadian supporters into a frenzy.
Coach Jesse Marsch called his players “Canadian heroes” after the final whistle.
Canada had previously only appeared in the 1986 World Cup, losing all three group-stage matches without scoring. South Africa, making their own knockout round debut, saw their milestone tournament run end.
Canada advances to the Round of 16 in the expanded 48-team tournament, where they will face the winner of the Netherlands versus Morocco match.