The Round of 32 began with a home win. Canada beat South Africa 2-1 at a packed BMO Field on Sunday June 28, with Jonathan David opening the scoring before half-time and Alphonso Davies finishing the comeback after Lyle Foster had levelled it for Bafana Bafana. The host nation are through to the Round of 16. The Bafana, in the country's first World Cup knockout fixture since 2002, leave with credit and not much else.
The match in 90 seconds
Canada arrived as Group B winners and FIFA's favourite by a clear distance. Jesse Marsch put out the expected XI — Crépeau in goal, the Vitória–Cornelius–Miller back three, Davies and Buchanan as wing-backs, Eustáquio and Koné screening, Jonathan David alone up top behind Larin and Shaffelburg. South Africa lined up in Hugo Broos' familiar 4-2-3-1 with Lyle Foster the focal point and Themba Zwane floating off him.
The opener came on 34. Davies drove past Mokoena on the left and clipped a cut-back to the penalty spot; David's first touch took it past one defender and his second drilled a low finish inside Williams' near post. One-nil Canada and a stadium that had not stopped singing since kickoff lost its voice for ten seconds before finding it again.
South Africa equalised inside the first six minutes of the second half. A long Mvala diagonal found Zwane running into space behind Davies, he cut inside and fed Foster, who held off Miller and finished past Crépeau from twelve yards. One apiece. The Bafana bench, which had been quiet for an hour, jumped as a unit.
The Davies winner
For twenty minutes after the equaliser the match swung open. Canada had two shots cleared off the line, South Africa had a Percy Tau curler tipped over by Crépeau. Then on 73 the ball broke to Davies on the left in the kind of forty-yard counter situation he turns into goals — a long sprint, two touches to set up the shot, a left-footed strike from the edge of the box that beat Williams to his far post and went in off the inside of the post.
The goal was Davies' first in the tournament and his fifth for Canada in major competitions. He pulled the shirt over his head, ran half the length of the pitch, and was buried by the bench before the celebrations had ended. The closing fifteen minutes were a managed back-three blockade — five South African crosses dealt with, one set-piece header clawed away by Crépeau, no clear-cut second equaliser ever arriving.
What it tells us about both sides
Canada are now four matches into the tournament and have looked progressively more like the side Marsch promised they would be. The Davies–Buchanan wing-back axis is the most balanced it has been in the cycle, Stephen Eustáquio continues to be the team's best midfielder, and Jonathan David is in the kind of form that makes you wonder which European club is calling Lille tonight. The questions left are at centre-back, where Vitória is one yellow card from a suspension, and at backup forward, where Cyle Larin remains the only true No. 9 alternative.
South Africa leave with their heads up. The country's first knockout-stage World Cup appearance since hosting in 2010 — and first one decided on the pitch rather than at home — ended at the Round of 32, but the run to get here was the best Bafana have produced in two decades. Lyle Foster's tournament was a coming-out party at 25; Themba Zwane was South Africa's best player despite being 36. Hugo Broos said after the match that he would speak with the federation in July about extending his contract.
Who Canada meet next
The bracket pairs Canada with the winner of Thursday's Spain vs Austria tie at SoFi. The Round of 16 fixture is locked to Sunday July 5 in Vancouver — meaning Canada get a second consecutive home knockout, and the longest possible travel rest in the bracket. Either opponent makes them the underdog on paper. Either opponent will also have to fly three hours west into a building that will sound like BMO did on Sunday.
Monday's three Round of 32 fixtures
The schedule picks up sharply today. Three matches on Monday June 29 — Brazil vs Japan at 1 p.m. ET in Houston, Germany vs Scotland at 4:30 p.m. ET at Foxborough, and Netherlands vs Morocco at 9 p.m. ET in Guadalajara. Fifteen more knockout ties remain between now and the Round of 16 kickoff on Saturday July 4.
- Sun Jun 28 · Canada 2-1 South Africa · BMO Field · COMPLETE
- Mon Jun 29 · Brazil vs Japan · NRG Stadium · 1:00 p.m. ET
- Mon Jun 29 · Germany vs Scotland · Gillette · 4:30 p.m. ET
- Mon Jun 29 · Netherlands vs Morocco · Akron, Guadalajara · 9:00 p.m. ET
FAQ
What was the final score? Canada 2, South Africa 1. Jonathan David (34'), Lyle Foster (51'), Alphonso Davies (73').
Who did Canada qualify to play next? The winner of Spain vs Austria, in the Round of 16 on Sunday July 5 in Vancouver.
Where was the match played? BMO Field in Toronto — the expanded venue Canada has used for almost all of its 2026 home fixtures. Attendance was a sold-out 45,500.
How does the Round of 32 schedule work from here? Three matches a day from Monday June 29 through Friday July 3. Fifteen ties remain. Full schedule and live scores on Scorelisto's soccer page, with daily previews and recaps continuing on the blog.