HISTORY: Bafana advance to World Cup knockout stage!
by Kickoff writer · KickOffBafana Bafana have qualified for the FIFA World Cup knockout stage with a 1-0 win over Korea Republic on Thursday morning.
Fixture: South Africa v South Korea
Score: 1-0
Goalscorers: Maseko (63')
In concluding the group phase, neither Bafana nor Korea could afford a slip-up in the quest to reach the knockout stages and their indifferent results last time out with the latter going down to co-host Mexico before the former fought gallantly to claim a draw at the Czech Republic.
There was not too much to give between the two teams earlier, but Bafana did come close to the opener when Thapelo Maseko made a clever run on the wide side and leaned closer to the near post of the area to see his shot blocked for a corner-kick.
Bafana were provided a clearer chance though on the half-hour mark when a loose ball in the box fell straight at Evidence Makgopa after Kim Seung-gyu spilled a shot by Thalente Mbatha, but the forward disappointingly fluffed his lines.
The Taegeuk Warriors responded instantly to the scare minutes apart and a rasping shot from range by Hwang Hee-chan from a link-up with Kim Min-Jae put the opposite number Ronwen Williams in a spot of bother.
Second Half:
After halftime, Korea made a trio of substitutes following a slow opening spell and introduced Kim Jin-gyu for Paik Seung-ho, Jens Castrop in place of Tae-Seok Lee as well as star player Son Heung-min ahead of Hee-chan.
The Taegeuk Warriors were buoyed by the alterations and went close to finding the opener following a glancing header in the box by Hyeon-Gyu, but Williams managed to get behind and made an outstretched save.
Bafana maintained composure all-round thus grabbed the lead in the 62nd minute after substitute Tshepang Moremi charged down the left to tee-up Maseko to find the bottom-corner from the inside-channel of the six-yard box.
Moremi remained a potent outlet in and out of possession moreover through his space on the counter-attack as the Warriors struggled to engineer a route back and in large parts fell short of options whenever on the attack