South Africa face Canada in first-ever World Cup knockout match

First knockout match in South Africa's history

Sunday. Canada. The Round of 32. South Africa have never played a World Cup knockout match before, and Hugo Broos is not treating it like the end of the road. "Don't think we're saying Monday or Tuesday we fly back to Johannesburg. We don't think that way. We want more in this World Cup" (4) (6). A win sets up a Round of 16 clash with Netherlands or Morocco.

Koné out with broken leg

Canada will be without midfielder Ismaël Koné. He broke his left leg during the group-stage win over Qatar and is done for the tournament (3). That is one less body in midfield for Jesse Marsch to call on.

Marsch channels Champions League energy

Marsch is framing this as a familiar pressure cooker. He compared the knockout stakes to Champions League finals: "We are strengthened. These are similar situations" (7). Alphonso Davies returns to the Canada lineup for this one (1).

Broos and the plan that worked

Broos took over a side that had never dominated Africa and gave them a system they believed in. "When I came here, I had a plan. I kept the plan till the end, till the results were there, because I knew that was the way to do it" (6). That plan has now carried South Africa into their first knockout round.