South Africa vs South Korea, FIFA World Cup Match Result: South Africa reach knockouts for first time after edging South Korea

South Africa created history on Wednesday by reaching the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time after defeating South Korea 1-0 in their final Group A match.Thapelo Maseko scored the only goal of the game in the 63rd minute, helping South Africa finish second in the group behind Mexico, who won all three of their matches.

The victory secured a place in the Round of 32, where South Africa will face Canada on Sunday in Inglewood, California.Maseko delivers when it mattersAfter missing a couple of good chances earlier in the game, Maseko finally made the breakthrough midway through the second half.

The 22-year-old received a precise pass from Tshepang Moremi on the right side of the box, cut inside and fired a low left-footed shot through a defender's legs and into the bottom corner.It was Maseko's first World Cup goal and a historic one for South Africa.When asked what advice he would give his younger self, the forward said: "Keep dreaming."A remarkable turnaroundSouth Africa's World Cup campaign did not begin well. They lost 2-0 to Mexico in their opening match before salvaging a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic with a late equaliser.

That left them needing a win against South Korea to stay alive in the tournament, and they delivered under pressure.

The result ended years of frustration for South Africa, who had failed to get past the group stage in 1998, 2002 and when they hosted the tournament in 2010.Team spirit praised by coachHead coach Sébastien Hugo Broos credited the team's mentality for the historic achievement."The mentality in this group is amazing," Broos said. "Everybody is working for everybody. We are not afraid of other teams."

Midfielder Sphephelo Sithole also played an important role in the win.

Sithole had been sent off in the opening match against Mexico but bounced back strongly to help his side keep a clean sheet."In the first two, three days, it wasn't easy," Sithole said. "I needed to pick myself up. I'm very proud of myself because I did."Emotional scenes after final whistleThe final whistle sparked wild celebrations among South African players and staff. Substitutes rushed onto the pitch and players embraced each other after securing a historic place in the knockout rounds.

For the 74-year-old Broos, the moment was especially emotional."For me it was a rush of emotions, not only because we won the game, but also because it will probably be one of the last games of my career," he said. "When you can end a career in this way, I think every coach dreams of it."South Korea left to waitSouth Korea's hopes suffered a major setback with the defeat. Head coach Hong Myung-bo surprised many by leaving captain Son Heung-min on the bench and bringing him on later in the match."If I knew the result beforehand, I probably would have made some different choices," Hong admitted after the game.South Korea opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic before losing 1-0 to Mexico. Their chances of progressing now depend on results elsewhere.Meanwhile, South Africa can celebrate a landmark achievement as they prepare for their first-ever World Cup knockout match.