Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies on Canada's historic triumph over South Africa – ‘The ending was incredible'

Canada have reached the Round of 16 of a FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history, following a narrow and emotional 1-0 win over South Africa.

Stephen Eustaquio provided the decisive moment with a stunning volley deep into stoppage time, sparking scenes of wild celebration among Canada's players and coaching staff, while South Africa slumped in disappointment.

The victory represents a massive shift in fortunes for the co-hosts, who had previously failed to win a single game in their two prior tournament appearances in 1986 and 2022.

For Alphonso Davies, the result was the culmination of years of hard work and the fulfilment of a long-held ambition for the entire squad.

Speaking after the final whistle, the Bayern Munich man was quick to credit head coach Jesse Marsch for his game management.

The introduction of fresh legs in the second half ultimately swung the momentum back in favour of the Reds as they searched for the late winner that eventually arrived through Eustaquio.

"The ending was incredible. Coming on to the pitch, we needed some energy and I think the coach made the subs at the right time to get the win," Davies told FIFA.com.

"[Stephen Eustaquio] hit a beautiful volley in the corner... it was absolutely top. We're ecstatic right now and happy to be continuing in this tournament."

Having watched much of the early proceedings from the bench, Davies admitted that it was difficult to remain a spectator during the opening matches of the tournament.

However, his return to the side proved to be a boost for a Canadian team that is now brimming with confidence as they move into the business end of the competition.

"It was tough.

"The first three games watching, sitting down... even the friendly games.

"It was tough, but I knew my time would come," he explained.

"I just had to stay patient and keep working.

"The team and the coach gave me the platform to take my time, and the boys did well and gave me the opportunity to step on the pitch today.

"I applaud them for that."

With a Round of 16 clash against either Morocco or the Netherlands on the horizon, Davies is refusing to put a ceiling on what this group of players can achieve.

The emotional impact of the win over South Africa has clearly galvanised the squad as they look to extend their stay in the tournament.

"You could see everyone was running onto the pitch because it means so much to us," Davies added.

"This is our second World Cup in succession and the first one didn't really go as planned.

"For most of us, this is a dream come true and we want to continue this run and continue pushing forward.

"That is up to us.

"We know we have tough opponents ahead.

"For us, the sky is the limit.

"We have talent on this team and we have motivation.

"I think the next few days will be important to recover and focus on our opponents."