BLOW BY BLOW | Canada win 1-0 and boot Bafana Bafana out of the World Cup

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FULL TIME - Bafana Bafana 0 Canada 1

Bafana Bafana brave in their defending. Mbokazi is a huge talent.

In the end, Canada too physical, too intense, ultimately they also have players at really strong Europan clubs.

Cold Bafana have one more in attack in this game? It’s so hard to say. They were squeezed and kicked out by a classy co-host nation outfit whenever they tried to.

The huge positives to look at now - a first-ever and quite unexpected World Cup group stage progression by a young talented team. Whoever replaces retiring Hugo Broos has a lot to work with.

Good night, South Africa! Enjoy the rest of your World Cup!

90min + 7 - Goal kick for Canada. That’s the final whistle.

Bafana Bafana are out of the World Cup!

90min+5 - Another minute to come. If Bafana were playing for extra time it was a dangerous game to play. Looked headed that way. Then Eustaquio struck!

90min+2 - GOOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!! GOALLLL!!! GOALLL!!! Bafana 0 Canada 1!

Canada take the lead!!! 7. Stephen Eustaquio in the area, volleys past Williams. That was coming!

90min - 5min added!

86min - SUB: Tshepang Moremi (only now? - interesting if it goes to extra time though!) and Iqraam Rayners on for Maseko and Makgopa.

85min - Decent passing move ends with Appollis again shotting from outside the box, keeper Crepeau stops, though it was going just wide anyway.

83min - Bafana on the back foot, but hanging on. Can they smash and grab something here?!!

78min - 10. Jonathan David takes it past Okon, forces a stop from Williams from tight angle on the left.

76min - 12. Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi bists one low and just wide from the edge of the area.

75min - Canada’s best player, Bayern LB 19. Alphonso Davies (back from injury) on for 17. Tajon Buchanan.

75min - Better attack SA, ends with Mbatha hitting over from outside the area.

71min - The game is back ...

67min - That’s a hydration break. Ka-ching!

65min - Mbokazi, Williams keep Bafana Bafana in the game!

12. Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi through, under attention of Okon gets a shot in stopped by Williams. Mbokazi gets the desperate challenge in ahead of 10. Jonathan David.

64min - Challenges still flying in from both sides, intensity still high. Not pretty, but intense, in this game.

62min - Oswin Appollis good drive from range, inches wide.

61min - SUBS: for Canada, 23. Niko Sigur and 4. Luc De Fougerolles on for on for Canada’s main runners, 25. Nathan Saliba, and 15. Moise Bombito

58min - Stop for an injury to 7. Stephen Eustaquio.

56min - Positive passing move by SA. Maseko cannot find Mudau free on the right, cannot get a shot in.

54min - Tshepang Moremi made the goal from the bench against South Korea. Wonder when he’ll be on here?

46min - SUB: At the break, Thalente Mbatha came on for Mofokeng.

Tough for Rele - his midfield really didn’t get him ontop the game. But a tactical change too. Broos will see if three big men in midfield can helps Bafana win a battle they increasingly did not in the opening 45 minutes.

46min - the game is back!

Half time - Canada may not be at home in this game but they are playing like a c0-host nation, determined not to let their country down.

But for Bafana Bafana, they are at 0-0 with 45 minutes to play that could put them into a World Cup last 16. Huge! Huge! That can lift a team.

Let’s see guys, let’s see!

South Africa, how are you butterflies?!!

HALF TIME - Bafana Bafana 0 Canada 0

A tough and uncompromising half from both teams really.

Bafana Bafana with some excellent defending, but sometimes it had to be a bit desperate, especially at the end of the opening half.

SA looked dangerous in attack in the opening 20min, but increasingly playing deep and on the back foot, having to defend well, when Canada stepped up the pace and intensity, with the North Americans showed they can do quite well. They play a bit like an English Prem League lower-table club - physical, aggressive and direct.

Bafana have to figure out how to get their foot on the ball, get Mofokeng and the wingers’ skills and pace into the game in the second half. Hugo Broos needs a plan from the break.

But SA can win this. If they can get an attacking rhythm back.

45+3 - Challenges still flying in from SA. And that’s the whistle! Half time. Bafana will be happy it’s 0-0.

45+1 VAR to look at Khuliso Mudau’s challenge on 22. Richie Laryea in the box. Penalty turned down!

It’s still 0-0.

44min - Corner by 7. Stephen Eustaquio - huge let-off for Bafana!

12. Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi header cleared off the line by Mbokazi. 17. Tajon Buchanan sheets into Williams’ chest.

SA are alive though

41min - Canada FK comes to nothing. Be nice if Bafana could get some that earlier attacking verve back before the break. Something there - Maseko and Makgopa at the other end, comes to nothing.

34min - Stray pass from Mokoena in front of his box (SA playing a bit deep for a while) leads to 12. Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi striking from a nwarrow angle, easily enough held by Williams.

33min - Right now, Bafana Bafana really more about frustrating Canada, taking the pace out of the game for the North Americans.

26min - The game is back.

23min - That’s a hydtration break. Come valuable ad revenue-making time for Fifa.

22min - Ime Okon challenge - Canada FK in dangerous position on the left. Delivery finds header close by unmarked 12. Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi, who can’t get a solid connection and Ronwen Williams gratefully takes.

20min - After that bit of a pressure period where Canada looked good at ramping up the intensity, but SA holding them well, Bafana looking to slow it a bit, get some foot on the ball.

17min - Corner Canada, ball falls to feet of 10. Jonathan David unmarked to volley wide.

14min - Another promising attack from SA, no final pass to it. Canada counterattack ends with another excellent challenge in the box from so far monstrous Mbekezeli Mbokazi on 12. Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi.

13min - SA defenders standing up in the challenge well. No panic in duels.

10min - Some good challenges coming in from SA when Canada attempt to pile on pressure. Maseko with a great block. Resultant corner comes to nothing for Canada.

6min - Really promising attack from SA, Evidence Makgopa’s run down the left picked out, ends with goalkeeper 16. Maxime Crepeau tested from range by Teboho Mokoena.

4min - Canada looking to get on the front foot. SA keeping shape well for now.

2min - The blow for Canada in Coach Jesse March’s starting XI - Alphonso Davies, the Bayern Munich left-back did not start - recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the group stage, Marsch opted to name him on the bench.

They also had the broken leg to star midfielder Kone against Qatar. They also lost home ground advantage not beating Switzerland in their last group game, so play this game in LA. Quite a few blows to Canada?

9pm - 1min - That’s kickoff!!

8.58pm - We await kickoff ...

8.53pm - The teams have taken the field ... we have the anthems - SA first ...

8.41pm - Are you feeling the butterflies South Africa? Are you feeling the butterflies?! This is it! Bafana Bafana in the World Cup knockouts, never seen before!!

South Africa played the opening match of the tournament. How far they have come from that nervy start just to be here, playing the first game of the last 32!

Win tonight and they can go through to meet Netherlands or Morocco in the last 16 in Houston on Saturday.

We await the national anthems ...

8.39pm - Word from the coach on the Bafana approach for this match:

8.30pm - Others have also been arriving at Los Angeles Stadium ... Excellent ....

8.20pm - Bafana’s arrival at LA Stadium:

8.03pm - Here’s how Canada line up:

Canada XI:

• 16. Maxime Crepeau
• 2. Alistair Johnston
• 15. Moise Bombito
• 13. Derek Cornelius
• 22. Richie Laryea
• 17. Tajon Buchanan
• 25. Nathan Saliba
• 7. Stephen Eustaquio
• 11 Liam Millar
• 10. Jonathan David
• 12. Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi

7.50pm - The starting XIs are out!

Here is Bafana Bafana. One change from Coach Hugo Broos from the impressive 1-0 win against South Korea in Monterrey on Thursday.

This is really interesting. Frankly, yes, your Blogger believes Broos has got it about 100% right for the third match running.

Teboho Mokoena, back from suspension, comes in for Thalente Mbatha, reuniting the central midfield pair that was such an excellent partnership with Sphephelo Sithole when Bafana won bronze in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024.

Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and his back four of Khuliso Mudau, these two young centreback talents in Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Ime Okon and Aubrey Modiba were excellent against Korea.

On the wings, Oswin Appollis was a little quieter against Korea after a strong game against Czechia - he could be due a dangerous game tonight; Thapelo Maseko was the scorer and man of the match against Korea.

Relebohile Mofokeng’s touches in the last two games (Sub against Czechia, starting against Korea) at playmaker have reportedly drawn interest from clubs in Europe.

Evidence Makgopa was strong up-front starting against the Koreans.

Bafana XI: (4-2-3-1) Ronwen Williams - Khuliso Mudau, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Ime Okon, Aubrey Modiba - Sphephelo Sithole, Teboho Mokoena - Oswin Appollis, Relebohile Mofokeng, Thapelo Maseko - Evidence Makgopa

7.24pm - And ... as we await the starting XIs, here is a nit about why Bafana might just have a chance to win this game. Should we even say such a thing, though? It’s dangerous, starting to think this way about Bafana Bafana. Still, perhaps, just perhaps.

This from per story by Mahlatse Mphahlele last week on Bafana’s travel logistics, losing a day’s training because FIFA insisted SA go via their Mexico training base in Pachuca, near Mexico Cityt, rather than direct to LA (Canada would have been able to travel to Los Angeles direct from Vancouver):

While there’s a potential disadvantage from the travelling to reach Los Angeles, Bafana, after a genuinely polished win against classy 28th-ranked South Korea, will feel they have a chance against 31st-placed Canada. There are a few reasons why.

Canada’s ceding of their Vancouver BC Place stronghold was demoralising for them. South Africa drew international scepticism with their performance in their opening Mexico defeat, but have settled and are coming off a monumental confidence boost from that display against the Koreans.

Canada are no longer minnows like they once were in world football ― the country has put in great effort and made strides in the sport and they have some players based in strong leagues, with many in Major League Soccer. Yet their ranking might flatter them a margin.

They have had some big injuries before and in the tournament, notably star Italian-based central midfielder Ismaël Koné, who broke his leg in their 6-0 win against Qatar. Bafana have their best player, central midfielder Teboho Mokoena, returning from suspension.

Canada’s Group B, where their other result was a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, had the feel of one, conspiratorially, a little rigged by Fifa as winnable for the co-hosts ― it’s always good financially when host nations go far in tournaments. Bafana have just came through a tough, tight group.

There has not been a better opportunity for Bafana to reach a World Cup last 16. It will be tough against a team of hard-working, high-level professionals. But there just might be yet another round for Bafana to proceed in at this World Cup.

ADD: Canada’s star players include: Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies, Juventus forward Jonathan David, Celtic defender Alistair Johnston and Villareal midfielder Tajon Buchanan.

7.12pm - Here is some match info:

• Teams: Bafana Bafana v Canada
• Kickoff: 12pm in Los Angeles, 9pm in South Africa
• Match Venue: Los Angeles Stadium, also called SoFi Stadium
• Stadium Capacity: 70,240
• Stadium build completion: 2020
• Stadium type: An indoor multi-purpose stadium in Inglewood, California, U.S., a suburb of Los Angeles
• Stage: World Cup last 32
• About Inglewood: (per Wikipedia) Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, US, in the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city had a population of 107,762. It is in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, near Los Angeles International Airport. The Inglewood area was developed after the opening of the Venice–Inglewood railway in 1887 and incorporated as a city on February 14 1908.
• Match officials: Referee: João Pinheiro (Portugal); assistant referee 1: Bruno Jesus (Portugal), assistant referee 2: Luciano Maia (Portugal); fourth official: Omar Al Ali (United Arab Emirates); video assistant referee (VAR) Carlos del Cerro Grande (Spain).
• On TV: SABC 1, SABC 3, SABC Sport and streamed on SABC+; SuperSport’s 201 and 202
• How Bafana reached the last 32: Second place in Group A - Mexico 9 points, South Africa 4 points, South Korea 3 points, Czechia 1 point. (Mexico 2 Bafana 0; Czechia 1 Bafana 1; Bafana 1 South Korea 0)
• How Canada reached the last 32: Second place in Group B - Switzerland 7 points, Canada 4 points, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 points, Qatar 1 point. (Canada 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1; Canada 6 Qatar 0; Switzerland 2 Canada 1)
• The winners tonight play: Netherlands or Morocco in the last 16 in Houston on Saturday.

6.56pm - To follow, some match info ...

6.55pm - Wow. Here we are. Bafana Bafana in a World Cup knckput stage match. That’s just crazy, isn’t it? And not. It was going to happen sometime.

The story of how they got there in Group A, as the lowest-ranked team of the four, desperately nervy and disappointing in that opener against Mexico, so improved drawing against Czechia, then, dare one say it, world class and exuberant beating a classy South Korea is now stuff of legend, and the past.

Tonight (Sunday) in Los Angeles, it’s the 2026 FIFA World Cup last 32 game against Canada. History has been made with Bafana’s first progression past a group stage, entering coach Hugo Broos into the pantheon of legends for the national team. Can more be made with a last-16 place that the coach himself has admitted would be a miracle for his World Cup babes in the wood?

Just a little more than two hours to go and then we find out.

I am your LIVE UPDATES BLOGGER, Arena Holdings and TimesLIVE Digital Sports Editor Marc Strydom. Again, I am not in Los Angeles Stadium but bringing you these updates from my living room in Melville, Johannesburg.

Hugely experienced and knowledgeable TimesLIVE and Arena Senior Sports Reporter Mahlatse Mphahlele has been covering the tournament for us in North America. Catch his match report once it’s published at around 11pm.

South Africa! This is it! A real chance for Bafana Bafana to go to the last 16 of a World Cup. We must pinch ourselves. Then pinch a cold one from the fridge, get settled, spring-jumping action at the ready, in those couches, pull up a quart or a glass of wine in your bar, or tavern or shebeen or event fan evening; one of the most consequential matches in South African football history is set to begin soon. This is what football and being a football supporters is all about. The World Cup, baby!

Go Bafana Bafana, go!!!

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• World Cup page here
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• Bafana news here

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