South Africa beat Korea Selatan 1-0 to reach round of 32

South Africa beat Korea Selatan 1-0 in their final Group A match at the 2026 World Cup in Monterrey, Mexico, on Wednesday (24/6), and advanced to the knockout stage for the first time. Thapelo Maseko scored the lone goal in the 63rd minute to secure second place for South Africa with four points, behind Mexico. Korea Selatan ended the group stage with three points and must still rely on other results to qualify as one of the best third-place teams. Korea Selatan controlled the early stages through chances for Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in, but struggled to break down the defense. Son Heung-min, who started on the bench, came on after halftime, but Hong Myung-bo's side still could not find a finish. South Africa will next face host Canada in Los Angeles on 28 Juni.