Bookmakers had given South Korea the edge in this encounter, but the South African players, who had shown little spark before, managed to rally and deliver their best performance yet.
In fact, in their previous match against the Czech Republic, South Africa demonstrated how determination can compensate for a lack of class. They defended throughout the entire second half but held firm, even outshooting their opponents 13 to 8, with expected goals roughly equal. Their perseverance paid off with the only goal of that game, securing second place in Group A for South Africa.
World Cup 2026
South Africa 1–0 South Korea (0–0 at halftime)
Goal: Maseko, 63 (1–0)
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