The oldest ever! Hugo Broos makes FIFA World Cup history as South Africa reach the knockouts for the first time
South Africa etched its name FIFA World Cup history after sealing a place in the knockout stages with a 1-0 win in South Korea, while coach Hugo Broos added another remarkable chapter to his career story by becoming the oldest manager ever to win a World Cup match at 74 years and 75 days.The historic triumph ensured Bafana Bafana finished second in Group A behind Mexico, who won all three of their group stage matches. South Africa will now face Group B finalist Canada in the Round of 32 on Sunday in Inglewood, California.An emotional Broos admitted that the achievement fulfilled the team’s primary objective after arriving in Mexico, describing the final whistle as one of the defining moments of his coaching career.“It was an emotional moment. We came here to Mexico, and we wanted to survive the group stage,” said Broos. “It was not only because we won the game, but also because it will probably be one of the last games of my career. When you can end a career in this way, I think every coach dreams.”
Maseko offers like powers of belief rooted in history
The decisive moment came in the 63rd minute when 22-year-old Thapelo Maseko latched on to Tshepang Moremi’s accurate cross, cut inside and fired a left-footed shot through the legs of a defender into the bottom corner. The goal made Maseko the second youngest South African goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history at 22 years and 225 days.Despite missing two early opportunities, the Mamelodi Sundowns striker finished with five strikes and now leads South Africa with eight tries in the tournament.Reflecting on her journey, Maseko said: “The only thing I would say is to keep dreaming.”Broos praised his team’s tactical discipline and collective commitment.“I think we played a very good tactical game. Everyone did their job. I am very proud of the performance of my team,” he said. “When they had the ball, we covered all the spaces. When we had possession, we became dangerous because we used the spaces they gave us.”South Africa had started their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico before saving a 1-1 final against the Czech Republic, leaving them needing a win over South Korea to stay alive. The response, Broos said, reflects the team’s unwavering mindset.“Today you saw a team that believed in itself. The mentality in this group is amazing. Everyone works for everyone. We are not afraid of other teams.”
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