BLOW BY BLOW | Bafana shock Korea and reach World Cup last 32

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FULL TIME - Bafana Bafana 1 South Korea 0

Bafana Bafana take a bow! Hugo Broos, take a bow! Thapelo Maseko take a bow! Sphephelo Sithole (coming back from that nightmare against Mexico) take a bow! Relebohile Mofokeng take a bow!

Ronwen Williams take a bow. Ime Okon, Mbekezeli Mokazi, Aubrey Modiba, Khuliso Mudau take a bow (what a defence!). Thalente Mbatha, Evidence Makgopa, Oswin Appollis take a bow. All the subs take a bow, especially of course Tshepang Moremi.

South Africa, celebrate! What a performance. Written off as zeroes after that not great defeat against Mexico, now they are heroes. Few really thought they would beat this classy Korea. The classy Korea made to look ordinary! Our team is still at the World Cup!!

Really short turnaround - SA meet Canada in Los Angeles in the last 32 on Sunday (9pm SA time). There’s a real chance in that game, actually, especially after this performance.

Goodnight South Africa! Walk on air today, your Blogger writes, genuinely shedding a tear. More than one.

The end of game vids:

90min+7 - That’s it!!!! The final whistle. Bafana Bafana are second in Group A and go to the last 32!!!! The celebrations on the field are wild!

South Africa, are you awake, did you watch!!! Your team are World Cup heroes!!!

Zeroes against Mexico, heroes this morning!!!!

90min+5 - A minute and a half to go!

i90min - 6min added!

87min - Bafana still stifling Korea! They seem stunned.

83min - Bafana still there. South Korea not finding what they need right now!

79min - Ten of those minutes gone. Bafana still frustrating Korea!

69min - Hydration break.

Half an hour (with added time, about) is still too long to go for South Africans’ nerves (at home)! This will be a lot to contend with for the viewers.

SA need to remain positive, on the front foot, not let go because right now they have Korea by the jugular. If they back off Korea will run at them.

Wow.

63min - GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!!!! GOOOOAALLLL!!!! GOOOOOAAALLLL!!!! GOOOAALLLL!!! GOALLL!!!!

Thapelo Maseko scores for Bafana!!!!!! Dare one dream!!!!

The sub, Moremi, does the running down the left, pass in low finds Maseko to stroke inside the right upright!

62min - SUB: Tshepang Moremi on for Oswin Appollis.

61min - Mexico have scored again.

60min - Cross in, 18. Oh Hyeon-Gyu gets a sharp header in that forces a good stop from Ronwen Williams.

57min - Sub 23. Jens Castrop into space on the left, shoots across the face as Korea look to be a lot more positive and get in some real openings, try to get behind Bafana more.

56min - Mexico have just scored against the Azteca against Czechia. As it stands, a win for Bafana will see them through.

53min - What’s been on your Blogger’s mind this week was last year’s FIFA Club World Cup in the US where Mamelodi Sundowns dismantled Ulsan HD in a 1-0 win, a first victory for an SA club over a South Korean one.

Dared one hope that experience and the Sundowns element in Bafana might be a sign the national team could do the same?

I tried not to get my hopes up. As this game continues, I increasingly am. But Bafana have to score!

50min - But Bafana almost immediately get in another good movement that ends with a Maseko shot in a good position blocked by a defender.

49min - South Korea try to get on the front foot, which they battled to do in the first half. Can they find the answers they need?

46min - And that’s the second half under way!

HALF TIME - Bafana Bafana 0 South Korea 0

Bafana Bafana edged that half. An early let-off, then South Korea weren’t in it. They were largely pinned back by SA. At times Bafana really played some Mzansi football, They went a bit flat in the last 15min. Being super-critical - still a bit tentative when SA have possession. They can be more ruthless. This is also a very well-organised Korea defence with class performers.

The South Africans had some chances. Korea perhaps struggling with the evening heat (about 28C we believe). Both sides will strategise at the break. Can Korea find an answer, because they will be disappointed by that half? Will they be a different side out of the change rooms?

Can Bafana take their first-half advantage, press it home further, be more intense in the final third and crucially get the goal or two they need?

Let’s find out!

45+4 - That’s the break!

45+4 - Corner for Bafana right at the end. Comes to nothing.

45min - 4min added.

38min - Maseko drive not far over the bar.

31min - Great chance Bafana! Thalente Mbatha from the edge of the box forces a parry from keeper 2. Lee Han-Beom, the rebound falls to Evidence Makgopa (perhaps offside?), volleys, finds the keeper alert again. Excellent double save. The flag eventually did go up for Makgopa.

26min - We are under way again.

23min - A hydration break so FIFA can make some money ...

SA definitely in this first quarter blow for blow. South Korea’s pace troubles SA, but Bafana’s defence tends to settle. Bafana’s skill and movement has shown it has the ability to open South Korea. Mofokeng looks a threat whenever he’s around the ball.

19min - Nice break SA! Superb Mofokeng pass releases Thapelo Maseko down the right channel, with just CB 3. Lee Gi-Hyuk ahead of him, who stays his ground.

17min - Korea look pacey and dangerous in attack, but SA will be happy the pace of the game is not so quick at the start. They can get some foot on the ball and probe too. This Korean defence looks excellently organised, but there are some players capable of opening it up on the field for Bafana too.

11min - Ime Okon, nice recovery for a challenge after 18. Oh Hyeon-Gyu initially given a bit of space.

8min - But that was a let-off! Korean balls fly across the face twice, then 19. Lee Kang-In has space but shoots wide.

6min - From a corner, Mofokeng effort deflected for another corner, not far wide.

5min - Some tentative probing at both ends. Can Bafana Bafana avoid an early goal (seems crucial) for the first time in this World Cup?

It’s not the extremely nervy start we’ve seen in the last two games. SA look far more composed, getting some passes in, on the front foot at times. Korea also not coming out guns blazing as Mexico and Czechia did. They seem wary.

3am - 1min - That’s the starting whistle. And we are under way!

2.57am - The anthems are done, Estadio Monterrey looks beautiful. We await kickoff ...

2.50 pm - Right then. We await the national anthems.

2.39pm - An attacking line-up from the Bafana coach.

Three changes from the Czechia draw, one enforced.

Sphephelo Sithole comes in for suspended Teboho Mokoena in central midfield.

Relebohile Mofokeng, who impressed off the bench, now starts ahead of Jayden Adams! Very interesting. And attacking move. A win is needed.

In a like-for-like change, Broos has brought in Evidence Makgopa to start ahead of Iqraam Rayners.

Both did will against the Czechs, Rayners starting and Makgopa as a sub. The coach has seen something in Korea perhaps, that gets Makgopa the nod this time.

Makgopa was his go-to man up-front when Bafana won bronze at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast in 2024.

South Africans will be very interested to see if the bright young creative attacking star of this country’s game, Mofokeng, can make a difference in this must-win game where Bafana have to punch above their weight.

Eyebrows will be a bit raised here in SA at Sithole - who had a tough game, giving away the early opener and being red-carded early in the second half - coming in when Broos might have played Adams next to Mbatha. Sithole has said in the build-up he’s keen to make up for his tough opener in the 2-0 defeat against Mexico.

Bafana XI: Ronwen Williams (capt) - Khuliso Mudau, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Ime Okon, Aubrey Modiba - Sphephelo Sithole, Thalente Mbatha - Thapelo Maseko, Relebohile Mofokeng, Oswin Appollis - Evidence Makgopa

2.36am - And your Blogger is back. Good Morning South Africa.

The starting XIs are out. Very interesting from Bafana coach Hugo Broos. To follow ...

6.50pm - A little on how this LIVE UPDATES BLOG is going to work. Your Blogger is about to turn in and try to get a few hours’ sleep - full day ahead and no rest for the wicked.

This story is scheduled to go live at about 1pm or just after.

Your Blogger will resume reporting from around 2.40am.

See you later!

6.45pm - Quick match facts:

• Kickoff: 7pm in Monterrey, Mexico; 3am South Africa time
• Venue: Estadio Monterrey
• Capacity: 53,000
• Match officials: Referee: Facundo Tello (Argentina); assistant referee 1: Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina); assistant referee 2: Gabriel Chade (Argentina); fourth official: Andrés Rojas (Colombia); video assistant referee (VAR): Hernán Mastrángelo (Argentina)

6.41pm - Mahlatse Mphahlele’s take on what Bafana need to do to beat South Korea:

Don’t concede early

In the matches against Mexico and Czechia, Bafana Bafana got off to a poor start by conceding inside the first 10 minutes, and they can’t afford that this time around.

They never recovered against Mexico and had to dig deep against Czechia, with Teboho Mokoena scoring a late penalty to salvage a draw that kept them alive in the tournament. Coming back from a goal down for a win at this level against such a strong side as South Korea would be a tough ask.

Don’t play the occasion

Given that SA has to win at all costs, there is pressure, but the good aspect for Bafana is that the core of the team has played in matches of consequence before.

Mamelodi Sundowns players were in a high-pressure situation a few weeks ago in the Caf Champions League final, where they beat AS FAR, and Orlando Pirates have featured in many cup finals in the last four years. The young Buccaneers responded well to pressure in the closing stages, usurping the Betway Premiership title in 2025/26 from successive eight-time winners, Downs.

Get tactics and formation right

Hugo Broos got his formation and personnel spot on against Czechia, but the issue is whether to tinker a little bit and throw in Relebohile Mofokeng at the start for his creativity.

The other thing that worked wonders in the last game was unleashing Thapelo Maseko and Oswin Appollis on the wings to challenge Czechia’s defence.

Nullify South Korea’s pace

South Korea’s biggest weapons are pace and stamina because they run for 90 minutes, and this is what the Bafana Bafana must guard against.

SA fullbacks Khuliso Mudau and Aubrey Modiba will have to bring their A-game because the Koreans usually attack from the wings, where they put dangerous crosses into the box.

Continue where they left off against Czechia

Bafana Bafana ended the last match with attacking momentum and on the ascendancy, where they put Czechia under a lot of pressure, and that’s how their equalising goal came.

They need to have that control and calmness in the early stages of the game so South Korea does not easily settle into the game and has to react to what is thrown at them.

6.22pm - Here is Mahlatse Mphahlele’s lowdown on the some of the quality Korea have in their ranks:

The defence is marshalled by veteran Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, who is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the German Bundesliga. He operates alongside Lee Han-Beom of Midtjylland in Denmark.

In the midfield, the “Taegeuk Warriors” have Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain, Hwang Inbeom of Feyenoord Rotterdam, Lee Jae-Sung of Mainz and Seol Young-Woo of Crvena Zvezda.

For much-needed goals, South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo relies heavily on Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers and hugely experienced 33-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min, who plays for Los Angeles FC.

(Weds) 5.20pm - Good morning to the intrepid risers who have taken it upon themselves to take in this huge 2026 FIFA World Cup clash from a Bafana Bafana perspective.

These are the diehard fans and lovers of Bafana Bafana.

Coffee ready?

Hope it’s a strong one, with all the kick and bite of an Mbekezeli Mbokazi sliding challenge.

Work alerted you may be a little bleary today when you get in?

So after two games - one a bit poor (not so much as many in SA decried, perhaps, though, as your Blogger postulated in his previous LIVE UPDATES piece on the Czechia clash), with a 2-0 home defeat under global lights in the World Cup opener against Mexico at the Azteca, the other much better, with plenty of room for improvement, with the 1-1 draw against Czechia in Atlanta - it has all come down to this.

Bafana Bafana meet South Korea at Estadio Monterrey in a must-win clash for the South Africans to remain in the tournament. Korea need a draw or win.

The top two teams in each of 12 groups and eight best runners-up progress to the last 32.

If Czechia upset Mexico at Estadio Azteca and Bafana beat South Korea, the South Africans will not progress as automatic qualifiers but most likely four points will be enough to go through in third.

Again, I am Marc Strydom, TimesLIVE and Arena Holdings Sports Editor and your LIVE UPDATES BLOG host. I am not in Stadio Monterrey but my rather freezing living room in Melville Johannesburg. Hugely experienced and knowledgeable Senior Sports Reporter Mahlatse Mphahlele is in Mexico providing excellent coverage of Bafana at the World Cup for Arena, and catch his match report at probably about just after 5pm.

Bafana on paper, in experience and pedigree probably have no place beating a superbly drilled, workaholic South Korea with genuine quality all-round. But this is football. They have shown signs of settling at the level, have talent, and yes, your Blogger is going to put his neck up for chopping and say they can pull off an upset. He is going to go further and speculate they just even might.

Pull up your coffees, your heaters and your blankets, tur the lights down low! This is it ladies and gentleman! The final group match for South Africa at this entertaining World Cup. Let’s find out if our team can remain in North America just a little longer.

... to follow, a bit about the game.

• All the World Cup fixtures here
• World Cup page here
• All the group profiles here
• Star player profiles here
• Bafana news here