Key events
90+6 min Mbartha crosses, Crepeau comes … and collects! That, surely, is it! Canada are going into the last 16!
90+6 min SA look to get the ball into the box, but Canada keep forcing them wide as they seek the perfect angle, knowing it might be their last chance. Finally, in it comes, De Fougerolles heads clear, and the hosts are nearly there!
90+3 min What a celebration too! Eustraquio set off like it was a routine gig, but a rolling maul rapidly ensued; it won’t have sunk in for him, but his life will never be the same again.
GOAL! South Africa 0-1 Canada (Eustaquio 90+2)
Stephen Eustáquio writes his name into the annals of Canadian history for evermore! A cross from the right is headed clear and, on the edge, almost dead centre, he takes a touch then controls a lash into the bottom-left! That is a brilliant finish, never mind a brilliant finish under that pressure at that moment, and we can all hear the sound of his heart beating, even though he’s light years away!
90 min Williams holds on to the ball as the crowd jeer; he wants extra time and, in five minutes, he’ll have it.
89 min Appollis robs Eustaquio and fizzes a ball through the middle for Rayners, but De Fougerolles is in quickly to challenge.
88 min Davies finds Eustaquio infield and the return sets him away, but his low pass into the box is poor and easily intercepted. It felt like we’d need extra time to settle this, and so it’s almost proved.
86 min Two changes for SA, Moremi and Rayners on for Maseko and Makgopa.
85 min Appollis has looked SA’s most incisive attacker and he dips inside Eustaquio then unleashes, Crepeau shoving away a decent effort. That’s a warning for Canada, who gave him far too much space.
84 min SA are doubling up on Davies now, Mudau and Sithole chasing back with him and the former coming away with the ball.
83 min Canada are in the ascendancy, and if they keep up this level of intensity, I’d expect them to score before 120 minutes are out.
80 min “They haven’t contributed much to the spectacle,” concedes Kári Tulinius, “but South Africa have been extremely impressive at the back. Considering how hapless they looked in defense against Mexico, that’s a remarkable transformation. It’s rare to see such rapid improvement at a major tournament.”
I reckon this reflects their first-game bottle rather than any tactical twiddles – and a lack of commitment to attack.
78 min Davies might be Canada’s Mario mushroom – the second he game on, the entire team grew. And another cunning pass allows Eustaquio to feed David in behind, left of the box. he feints to shoot, foxing Okon then, from a tight angle, leathers a rising shot which Williams parries at his near post.
76 min An immediately he makes an impact, drilling a pass into David, who cleverly spins and lays off for Promise, Sheringham-style. And from the edge, the eventuating shot is a good one too, whizzing along the carpet just wide of the post.
75 min It’s time, Davies sent on for Buchanan. I think he’s playing on the left of midfield.
75 min Sithole pumps a cross way beyond the back post which Mudau does brilliantly to head back in, Maseko teeing up Mbatha, who clobbers way over the bar.
73 min Sigur brings Modiba down with an arm flung on to the shoulder; having just been booked, he needs to be careful.
72 min “Perhaps not as iconic, in a classic sense, as the likes of Neil, Joni, Leonard, and The Band,” says Shawn Grant, “but a word for The Tragically Hip, who may not be known globally, but were called Canada’s House Band through the 90s and 2000s until Gordo’s passing in 2017. A great voice for Canada’s indigenous populations, Gord. Have a listen to Grace, Too or Bobcaygeon if you’re not familiar.”
70 min Two further changes for Canada, Promise and Shaffelburg replacing Millar and Oluwaseyi.
69 min They try placating the crowd with Summer of 69 which, I must concede, is a banger.
67 min Sigur yanks back someone, Modiba, I think, and is booked. Hydration-break time, the announcement greeted with now-customary booing.
66 min SA are a live dog, but almost all the moments of quality have come from Canada.
64 min A ball out of defence and through the middle sets Oluwaseyi away – that’s great work from Sigur – and his mate does really well to hold off Mudau, punching a shot that hits WIlliams … and rears over him, goalbound! But Mbokazi dashes back and, facing his own net under pressure from David, shins a terrific clearance over the bar; the corner comes to nowt.
62 min A ball across the pitch finds Appollis, who dips inside Buchanan and, from 25 yards, wipes his foot across a shot that flies a few yards wide of the far post.
61 min “I can’t not respond when someone says ‘or even The Band’,” chunters Richard Hirst. “Not just my opinion that they were the greatest, check out how many musicians think the same.”
If ever i need a vibe, this is one of my go-tos: the purity of people getting together just to sing.
59 min Double change for Canada, bur Davies remains where he is: Sigur and De Fougerolles replace Bombito and the disappointing Saliba.
58 min Surely Canada have to get Davies on. They’ve done almost nothing since half-time, the crowd’s Mexican wave essentially a criticism of their work so far.
57 min “About that non-penalty, says Paul Hansson. “I also thought it looked obvious until the close-up showed that the defender actually just got a tiny touch of a toe on the ball before dragging the Canadian down.”
I don’t think a tiny touch, if the ball is still there for the attacker, negates their subsequent cleaning out.
56 min Sithole wins a big challenge in midfield and SA pour forward, but they can’t find the space or angle to make anything of it, forced backwards. Whereupon Modiba humps an impatient cross into the box, easily collected by Crepeau.
54 min Mudau megs Millar then weaves inside Saliba, who applies punitive studs to toe and is booked.
52 min Canada win a throw deep inside the SA half, Oluwaseyi hurls it in aimlessly, and Williams collects. Meantime, Steve Phillips emails: “If you want serious Canadian icons in the field of music, the place is full of them. How about Joni, Neil or Leonard. Or even The Band. Sorry, it was the word “Alanis” wot did it.”
Leonard is one of my heroes. Everybody Knows changed my life, but currently this is my favourite favourite.
49 min “Interestingly all the Canadian TV pundits – Steven Caldwell, Kevin Kilbane, Atiba Hutchinson – all agreed it wasn’t a penalty,” advises David Marriott. “Looked like it at first, mind you.”
Generally speaking, I find ex-pros are eager to let the game flow and also don’t know the laws of it. For what it’s worth, on UK telly, ITV have an expert, Christina Unkel, who explains them with clarity and precision; she thought it a pen.
47 min Johnston skates around the outside down the right and does a really job keeping the ball in, cutting back to Millar … who wafts a shot somewhere towards nowhere.
46 min “I have no idea what a penalty is anymore,” confesses Christopher Lee. “I’d’ve bet my house on that being a penalty. I still don’t understand. HELP ME UNDERSTAND.”
I wish I could, and this is, I think, a fringe problem with VAR. Previously, we could say that officials must’ve seen something different to us, but now they have every angle and speed, and still shock us.
46 min We go again, SA sending on Mbartha for Mofokeng – who had a disappointing but not hookworthy first half.
Our teams return. Can either of them find anything?
“It’s worth remembering Abdullah Ibrahim/Dollar Brand,” offers Majjaz Hribar on the topic of South African music, “amazing pianist who died few days ago at the age of 91.
Something joyful from the 80s, African Marketplace
Or something very lyrical from later period, Blue Bolero.”
