Canada advances with late goal

LOS ANGELES — Even after scoring one of the biggest goals in Canadian soccer history, Stephen Eustaquio remained humble.

The 29-year-old midfielder played hero on Sunday, chesting down a ball in the second minute of second-half stoppage time and sending a right-footed shot swinging into the bottom of the net to give Canada a 1-0 lead over South Africa in a round-of-32 FIFA World Cup game.

Minutes later, the final whistle sounded and Canada had its first-ever win in the knockout round of the men’s tournament.

Eustaquio recognized the importance of his strike, but was quick to play down his role.

“I feel very happy that I scored the goal, that I was able to help the team,” he said after the game. “But that shot, I felt that everybody in the team shot that ball with me. We are very good, we believed a lot in this game. We knew that if we were our best, we could win and we did history.”

Eustaquio’s teammates were eager to praise their vice captain, with Tani Oluwaseyi calling him “the heartbeat of this team.”

“He worked so hard on the field, he’s one of our leaders off the field,” the striker said. “So, for it to be him who gets that goal, honestly, I think we’re all just ecstatic. We’re all elated.”

The Los Angeles FC midfielder played an “amazing game” and deserved the moment, added Liam Millar.

“Unbelievable,” he said. “Couldn’t be happier for Steph. Honestly he deserved it. But I think for the whole team and the whole country … it’s a monumental moment for the whole country. It can change the perspective of our country forever.”

Canada will now face the winner of Monday’s round-of-32 matchup between the Netherlands and Morocco in Houston on July 4.

“We get a chance at one of the two best teams in the world now,” said defender Alistair Johnston. “That’s something that’s unbelievable. It’s still a pinch-me moment, honestly. We just won a knockout round match at a World Cup. We’re still dancing. And I’m just so excited.”

It’s been a historic tournament for Les Rouges.

The team earned its first-ever point in a 1-1 draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina, their first win with a 6-0 drubbing of Qatar, and advancing to the knockout run for the first time, despite falling 2-1 to Switzerland in the group-stage finale.

Canada came into the tournament sitting at No. 30 in FIFA’s rankings while South Africa was listed No. 60.

Thousands of Canadian fans were among the announced crowd of 69,237, wearing red, waving Canadian flags and cheering for the co-host nation.

The two sides battled through the midfield, with neither getting much traction through much of the first 20 minutes.

“We could have made life a little easier on ourselves if we would have made a play earlier when we had some big chances,” said Canada’s head coach, Jesse Marsch.

“But obviously the timing of the goal means that the win is incredibly dramatic, and I think the effect that it will have in Canada and the inspiring of people will be immense. So, I’m really proud of our team, and I thought that there was an earned victory and a well-played match.”

South Africa got the first opportunity of the game, with Maxime Crépeau diving to stop an attempt from Teboho Mokoena six minutes in.

Canada had a chance in the 22nd minute when Eustaquio floated a free kick into the penalty area. Derek Cornelius got a head on the ball but didn’t give the shot enough power and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made an easy stop.

The Canadians gained momentum, though, and 13 minutes later, Oluwaseyi came within inches of opening the scoring with a solid attempt from the top corner of the six-yard box. Williams got his hands up just in time to turn the ball away.

Red-clad fans in the stands jumped to their feet in the 44th minute when Canada got multiple chances off of a corner.

Eustaquio sent the ball into Moise Bombito, who headed it down, only to see Aubry Modiba boot it off the goal line. The rebound popped out to Cornelius and the defender tried an unsuccessful header, but saw his teammate Tajon Buchanan get a chance of his own. Buchanan’s shot from in tight hit Williams, keeping the score knotted at 0-0.

Fans objected loudly in the 45th minute when Canada’s Richie Laryea was hauled down inside the penalty area without sanction.

The decision appeared to draw the ire of several Canadian players and Marsch, who all headed in the direction of referee Joao Pedro Silva Pinheiro when he blew the halftime whistle.

Bombito held Marsch back, while captain Alphonso Davies pulled striker Jonathan David away.

“We knew that South Africa were going to pose a ton of threats, and they did,” Johnston said.

“But I thought that we actually dealt with the danger really well, didn’t give up any chances at all, and then Steph with a moment of magic to get us through. So, look, I’m so proud. I’m so proud of the resilience that the guys showed, because it wasn’t easy in that second half.”

Canada got a boost in the 75th minute when Davies came on for Buchanan, marking the first time the Bayern Munich standout has played in this summer’s tournament.

Davies picked up a hamstring injury in early May while playing in a Champions League semifinal, and has been working his way back ever since.

“The first three games (of the tournament), I was on the sidelines, itching to get on the pitch,” Davies said. “And to be able to have these 15 minutes that I could get, to be there on the pitch to celebrate with the guys is truly amazing.”

South Africa came close in the 85th minute when Oswin Appollis blasted a long-range rocket from the top of the penalty area, but Crépeau dove and made a stop at the post.

Eustaquio finally broke the deadlock and ran up the field, his hands in the air before getting mobbed by his teammates by Canada’s bench.

Millar said his mind went blank in the moment.

“I think you can’t even think in those moments what dreams are made of when you’re a kid at home living in Canada, watching the World Cup, dreaming of these moments,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”

As the final whistle went, the Canadians darted out onto the field, hugging one another in celebration.

Now they’re hoping there are more celebrations to come.

“We feel like we are brothers, and at the same time, when we fight for each other, when we play for each other, special things like this can happen,” Eustaquio said. “I’m over the moon, but at the same time, I don’t want to say that the job’s finished.”

» The Canadian Press