South Africa have reached the World Cup knockout stage for the first time after Thapelo Maseko's second-half goal sealed a 1-0 win over South Korea in Monterrey.

FIFA's match report said Maseko's strike secured victory and progress for Bafana Bafana, a result that turns a tense group-stage finale into a landmark moment for South African football. South Korea had more of the ball for long stretches but could not turn pressure into an equaliser.

The breakthrough came in the second half when Maseko found enough space to finish low and give South Africa a lead they protected through the closing stages. South Korea pushed late, with attacking changes and urgency around the box, but South Africa's defence held firm.

The result continues one of the tournament's most compelling early stories. South Africa arrived with ambition but without a men's World Cup knockout appearance in their history. The win changes that record and gives the squad a high-profile next test against co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles on 28 June, according to match reports.

For South African football, the achievement reaches beyond one result. It gives the national team a new reference point and a platform for players who have often operated outside the global spotlight. It also adds momentum to a tournament already producing unfamiliar knockout names and reshaped expectations.

South Korea's position is more uncertain. The defeat leaves them dependent on the wider group-stage picture and third-place calculations, pending FIFA's confirmed standings and bracket.