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Stephen Eustaquio waited 92 minutes to become a national hero. The Canadian midfielder connected with a volley deep into stoppage time, giving Canada a 1-0 victory over South Africa and sending the co-hosts into the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in the country’s history.
The match, played on June 28, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, looked destined for a draw that would have complicated Canada’s path forward. Then Eustaquio decided otherwise.
A volley heard across a nation
Eustaquio struck a volley in the 92nd minute that found the back of the net, turning nervous energy into pure euphoria.
Canada’s World Cup history has been, to put it diplomatically, brief. The country’s only previous appearance at the tournament came in 1986, where they lost all three group-stage matches without scoring a single goal. Forty years later, not only have they scored, they’ve won their way into the round of 16.
What it means for the tournament
Canada’s reward for this historic victory is a round of 16 matchup against either the Netherlands or Morocco. Morocco proved at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar that African sides can dismantle anyone, reaching the semifinals in a run that captivated the global soccer audience.
SoFi Stadium, a $5B venue built for the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, provided the kind of atmosphere that turns good teams into dangerous ones.
South African coach Hugo Broos noted that the match would be his last World Cup, adding an emotional layer to the narrative.
Beyond the pitch
Eustaquio, currently on loan to Los Angeles FC from Porto, represents the growing pipeline of Canadian players competing at the highest levels of European club football.
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