Inside Bafana Bafana's historic win over South Korea: highlights, stats, player ratings, reactions and celebrations

South Africa kept their 2026 FIFA World Cup dream alive, securing a place in the knockout round with a vital win over South Korea on Thursday at the Monterrey Stadium.

Bafana Bafana came out with purpose and ambition, creating better openings in an entertaining first half.

Thalente Mbatha looked destined to give Hugo Broos' men the advantage, but Seung-Gyu Kim produced a crucial stop to keep South Korea level.

Despite a spirited and hard-fought battle between the two nations, neither side could find the breakthrough as the teams went into the interval deadlocked at 0-0.

With the stakes rising, the second half unfolded at a frantic pace as both teams went in search of a decisive goal.

Taegeuk Warriors thought they had found it in the 60th minute, only for Ronwen Williams to pull off a vital save.

The warning proved costly for the Asians, as Bafana struck just three minutes later through Maseko, who finally buried his 5th chance of the match to hand the Mzansi outfit a priceless lead.

It ended in joy for Bafana as a solitary goal proved enough to secure all three points and book their place in the Round of 32 where they will face co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles.

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According to Fotmob Ronwen Williams (8.6) was Bafana's highest rated player having kept a clean sheet and providing the team with a solid distribution base.

The entire defence scored highly on the rating system with central defensive pairing Mbekezeli Mbokazi (7.9) and Ime Okon (7.2) particularly effective but it was right back Khuliso Mudau (8.1) who scored the highest outfield player rating in the match.

The 31-year-old made 38/39 (97%) accurate passes, had 59 touches on the ball, made 11 defensive contributions and basically repelled everything South Korea threw at him down their left flank.

Obviously for the attackers, goal scorer Thapelo Maseko (7.6) rated the highest for not only his goal but the highest number of touches in the opposition box (7) and contributing the most shots (5) of anyone in the match, despite being subbed off after 75 minutes.

The Bafana Bafana squad celebrating in the locker room after their victory.

It’s happening, man. It’s really happening 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 South Africa, we have done it!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 - kay_mahapa

Bring Brazil we show them too - Nikhuluma Kakhulu

Bafana Bafana just painted history green and gold! South Africa is through to the knockout stage! - @BALUCIAGA