South Africa wrote their name FIFA World Cup history after sealing a place in the finals with a 1-0 victory over South Korea, as head coach Hugo Broos added another impressive chapter to his illustrious career by becoming the oldest manager to win a World Cup at the age of 74 years and 75 days.The win saw Bafana Bafana finish second in Group A behind Mexico, who won all three of their group games. South Africa will now face Canada, runners-up in Group B, in the Round of 32 on Sunday in Inglewood, California.An emotional Broos admitted that the win fulfilled the team’s main goal when they arrived in Mexico, describing the final whistle as one of the defining moments of his coaching career.“It was an exciting time. We came here to Mexico, and we wanted to survive the crowd,” Broos said. “It was not because we won the game, but because it will probably be one of the last games of my career. When you can end a career like this, I think every coach dreams.”
Maseko speaks like a strong faith to overcome
The final moment came in the 63rd minute when 22-year-old Thapelo Maseko pounced on Tshepang Moremi’s cross, cut inside and left-footed a shot past the legs of the defenders at the bottom. The goal made Maseko the second youngest South African goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history for 22 years and 225 days.Despite missing the previous two chances, the Mamelodi Sundowns forward finished with five shots and now leads South Africa with eight tries.Reflecting on his journey, Maseko said: “All I can say is keep dreaming.Broos praised his side’s finesse and their collective commitment.“I think we played a very good game tactically. Everyone did their job. I’m very proud of the way my team is doing,” he said. “When they had the ball, we covered all the space. When we got possession, we were dangerous because we took advantage of the opportunities they gave us.”South Africa had started with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico before a late 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic, which left them needing a win in South Korea to stay alive. The response, Broos said, reflects the group’s unwavering attitude.“Today you saw a team that believes in itself. The mentality of this team is amazing. Everyone is working for everyone. We are not afraid of other teams.”
