Canada edge South Africa 1-0 in FIFA World Cup knockout round opener

LOS ANGELES: Canada secured the first victory of the FIFA World Cup knockout stage with a dramatic 1-0 win over South Africa. Captain Jonathan Osorio scored the decisive goal in injury time to seal the victory for Canada.

Canada created several scoring opportunities throughout the match but struggled to find the back of the net until the final moments. Osorio’s late strike proved to be the difference as Canada advanced with a narrow win.

In today’s knockout fixtures, Brazil will take on Japan, while Germany will face Paraguay. A total of 32 teams are competing in the second round of the tournament.

Nine of the 10 African teams that featured in the group stage have reached the knockout stage. Japan remains the only Asian team to qualify. South Africa, Egypt, Congo, Ivory Coast, and Cape Verde have reached the knockout stage for the first time.