Oldest! Hugo Broos wrote FIFA World Cup history as South Africa reached the knockouts for the first time
South Africa engraved their name on: FIFA World Cup history after sealing a maiden place in the knockout stages with an emphatic 1-0 win over South Korea, while head coach Hugo Broos added another incredible chapter to his storied career by becoming the oldest manager to win a World Cup match at 74 years and 75 days.The historic win ensured Bafana Bafana finished second in Group A behind Mexico, who won all three of their group stage matches. South Africa will now face Canada, the runner-up in Group B, in the Round of 32 on Sunday in Inglewood, California.An emotional Broos admitted that the success fulfilled the team’s main goal after arriving in Mexico, describing the final whistle as one of the most important moments of his coaching career.“It’s an emotional moment. We came here to Mexico, and we want to survive in the group stage,” said Broos. “Not only because we won the game, but also because it was probably one of the last games of my career. If you can end a career like this, I think every coach dreams of it.”
Maseko gives as the powers of belief historical collapse
The decisive moment came in the 63rd minute when 22-year-old Thapelo Maseko latched on to Tshepang Moremi’s precise cross, cut inside and fired a left-footed strike through the legs of a defender into the bottom corner. The goal made Maseko South Africa’s second youngest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history at 22 years and 225 days.Despite missing two early opportunities, the Mamelodi Sundowns forward finished with five shots and now leads South Africa with eight tries in the tournament.Reflecting on his journey, Maseko said: “The one thing I would say is to keep dreaming.”Broos praised his side’s tactical discipline and collective commitment.“I think we played a very good tactical game. Everyone did their job. I’m very proud of my team’s performance,” he said. “When they had the ball, we covered all the spaces. When we had possession, we became dangerous because we used the spaces they gave us.”South Africa started their campaign with a 2-0 loss to Mexico before rescuing a late 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic, leaving them needing a win against South Korea to stay alive. The response, Broos said, reflects the unwavering mentality of the squad.“Now you see a team that believes in itself. The mentality of this group is amazing. Everyone is working for everyone. We are not afraid of other teams.”
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