Bafana Bafana have made it through to the knockout stages of a Fifa World Cup finals for the first time, Thapelo Maseko’s strike sealing a well-deserved 1-0 win over South Korea at the Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on Wednesday evening.

Bafana show their class

Hugo Broos’ side were as vibrant against South Korea as they had been insipid in their opening game against Mexico, second place in Group A enough to book a last 32 clash against Canada in Los Angeles on Sunday.

While Canada have impressed at the World Cup so far, they are certainly not a powerhouse of the game, and Bafana now have every chance of reaching the last 16, if they can play with the kind of fluidity and defensive solidity they showed on Wednesday.

Bafana had conceded early goals against both Czechia and Mexico and were nearly caught napping in Monterrey too.

In just the 2nd minute, South Korea’s man-mountain in defence Kim Min-jae found space in the box and his header was goal-bound but Aubrey Modiba was well-positioned to clear off the line.

South Korea playmaker Lee Kang-in also flashed a shot just wide, but Bafana quickly found their feet, knocking the ball around and causing Korea plenty of problems.

Mofokeng the maestro

Relebohile Mofokeng was at the heart of most of what was good about Bafana, the Orlando Pirates wizard revelling in his first start at the finals.

One early shot was well-blocked by Min-jae, before Mofokeng then found Maseko with a superb through ball.

Maseko cut inside onto his left foot, and his shot was blocked by Lee Gi-hyuk. Bafana came close to taking the lead in the 30th minute. Talente Mbatha’s shot was parried by Kim Seung-gyu but the ball fell to Evidence Makgopa just two metres out.

The Pirates striker, however, shot straight at Seung-gyu. Makgopa did look like he may have been just offside, but he really should have hit the back of the net and let VAR do its worst.

Mofokeng was even prepared to drop deep to pick up possession, and he unleashed another wonderful pass for Maseko, who blasted an effort over the bar in the 39th minute.

South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo was concerned enough with his team’s display to make three changes at the break, including bringing on Son Heung-min, who was surprisingly left out of the starting line-up.

Bafana wasted another glorious opportunity in the 51st minute, Mofokeng delightfully playing in Maseko again. The winger, however, cut onto his left foot and again his shot was blocked.

South Korea finally tested Ronwen Williams in the Bafana goal on the hour mark. The Sundowns goalkeeper spring to his right to save a neat flicked header from Oh-Hyeon Gyu.

Maseko magic

But it was Bafana who went in front in the 63rd minute. Tshepang Moremi had just come on the field to replace Oswin Appollis. He danced down the left wing and sent in a low cross that Maseko controlled and drilled low past the diving Seung-gyu.

The onus was on South Korea now, but they were unable to really mount sustained pressure on the Bafana goal. Williams had to produce just one more save in stoppage time, holding on to Park Jin-seob’s header.