Canada reach the last 16 for the first time on a 92nd-minute goal, and all three hosts are through

Canada's first knockout win

The winner came late, but Canada had been the better side. They put seven shots on target to South Africa's one and led the expected-goals count 1.32 to 0.13, yet could not break through until Eustaquio finished in second-half stoppage time. This was Canada's first knockout match at a World Cup. Its only previous appearances were 1986 and 2022, and in 2022 it lost all three group games. A country that had left every previous finals without a win closed out the tournament's very first knockout tie with a victory, at a full stadium in Inglewood, near Los Angeles.

All three hosts are through

The result completed a picture. The United States, Canada and Mexico are all in the last 16. This is the first World Cup staged by three host nations, so all three surviving together is a first as well. Co-hosts have advanced together before — at Korea/Japan 2002, South Korea reached the semi-finals and Japan the last 16 — but that tournament had two hosts. Three host nations reaching the knockout round at once has not happened until now.

The United States, down to ten

The U.S. beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 near San Francisco. Folarin Balogun struck just before half-time, and after the Americans went down to ten men Malik Tillman added a free-kick goal. Holding on a man short, the U.S. recorded the second knockout-round win in its World Cup history; Belgium is next, on July 6. Mexico had already advanced, beating Ecuador 2-0 at the Azteca for its first knockout win since 1986, and its Round of 16 is set for the Azteca as well.

Watching the hosts in the Round of 16

Canada face Morocco, who knocked out the Netherlands on penalties and reached the semi-finals in 2022, in Houston at 02:00 JST on Sunday, July 5. For a Japanese audience whose team is out, the three host fixtures are a clear way in: Canada vs Morocco (July 5, 02:00 JST, Houston), Mexico vs England (July 6, 09:00 JST, Azteca) and USA vs Belgium (July 6). How far a Canada side winning its first knockout tie can go against a 2022 semi-finalist will be answered on July 5.