The Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup will officially kick off with a clash between South Africa and Canada in Los Angeles. This is a special match as both teams are making their first-ever appearance in the knockout stage of the biggest football tournament on the planet.
South Africa entered the match with confidence after a crucial victory against South Korea , securing second place in Group A. Bafana Bafana's solitary goal led to a historic celebration and propelled them beyond the World Cup group stage for the first time.
This achievement is all the more remarkable considering South Africa had a difficult start to the tournament with a 0-2 defeat against Mexico, extending their winless streak to seven consecutive matches. However, under the guidance of coach Hugo Broos, the African team staged a strong comeback. At 74 years old, Broos will become the oldest coach in history to lead a World Cup knockout match, before ending his coaching career after the tournament.
Meanwhile, Canada is also writing its own story at the 2026 World Cup. As co-hosts, they became the first host nation in history to play a knockout match outside their own country. Jesse Marsch's team earned praise for their effective attacking style, scoring 8 goals in the group stage and having 21 shots on target, more than their total number of shots on target in the two previous World Cups combined.
Despite a 1-2 defeat to Switzerland in the final match, which cost Canada the top spot in Group B and ended their 10-match unbeaten streak, they still showed remarkable progress.
History is slightly in South Africa's favor, as they previously defeated Canada 2-0 in their only previous encounter in 2007. However, Canada also has its own advantages, possessing a highly energetic attacking line.
Source: https://znews.vn/nam-phi-0-0-canada-pha-cuu-thua-tren-vach-voi-post1664029.html
