{"id":250523,"date":"2026-06-28T21:49:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T21:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/28\/emotional-wc-scenes-as-question-leaves-star-choking-back-tears-after-stoppage-time-madness\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T21:49:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T21:49:00","slug":"emotional-wc-scenes-as-question-leaves-star-choking-back-tears-after-stoppage-time-madness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/28\/emotional-wc-scenes-as-question-leaves-star-choking-back-tears-after-stoppage-time-madness\/","title":{"rendered":"Emotional WC scenes as question leaves star choking back tears after stoppage-time madness"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Stephen Eustaquio\u2019s stoppage-time winner fired Canada to a 1-0 win over South Africa on Monday morning AEST in the first match of the World Cup knockout rounds, as the co-hosts advance to the last 16 for the first time in their history. <\/p>\n

With both sides making their first-ever appearance in the knockout phase, the game appeared to be heading for extra time, before Eustaquio broke South African hearts with a clinical hit from just outside the area. <\/p>\n

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Eustaquio was overcome with emotion after the match after being asked about the loss of his parents. The star\u2019s mother passed away to brain cancer in 2023 before his father died of a heart attack in 2024. <\/p>\n

\u201cCanada says thank you,\u201d the interviewer said as Eustaquio lost words and choked back tears.<\/p>\n

Canada — playing in Los Angeles despite being co-hosts, after failing to win their group — will now face the Netherlands or Morocco in Houston in the last 16 on July 4, as South Africa\u2019s World Cup adventure comes to an end. <\/p>\n

Before the game, coach Jesse Marsch had talked up the \u2018X-factor\u2019 of Canada\u2019s star Alphonso Davies, available again after a hamstring injury. <\/p>\n

But the Bayern Munich wing-back, who was yet to appear at this World Cup, remained glaringly absent from the starting line-up.<\/p>\n

Still, Canada began on the front foot, racking up chances against South Africa\u2019s low block. <\/p>\n

In the 22nd minute, a pinpoint Eustaquio free-kick found Derek Cornelius wide open on the six-yard line. The Canada center-back utterly mistimed his headed effort. <\/p>\n

FULL SCHEDULE: Every 2026 FIFA World Cup result<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

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Canada’s Stephen Eustaquio scores. AP Photo\/Manu Fernandez<\/span>Source: AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

South Africa threatened sporadically on the counter. But in a frenetic period just before half-time Canada came agonisingly close. <\/p>\n

From a corner, Moise Bombito\u2019s header was cleared off the line, before Tajon Buchanan\u2019s follow-up shot was blocked by goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. <\/p>\n

Moments later Khuliso Mudau crashed into the dangerous Richie Laryea, but his penalty appeals were waved away.<\/p>\n

That enraged a heavily Canadian crowd, and the jeers grew louder after half-time as South Africa were content to exchange deep passes under little pressure while the clock ticked down. <\/p>\n

Just past the hour mark, Canada came close again. <\/p>\n

Substitute Niko Sigur slid a through ball to Tani Oluwaseyi whose shot was well-saved by the goalkeeper and looped up toward Jonathan David — but defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi just got there first and cleared brilliantly. <\/p>\n

In the 75th minute Davies finally appeared, to a huge roar, and made an immediate impact.<\/p>\n

From the left wing, Davies found Jonathan David who laid the ball to fellow striker — and no relation — Promise David, but his shot went wide. <\/p>\n

Moments later Davies found Jonathan David again. This time he shot from a tight angle, but was denied by Williams.<\/p>\n

In the second minute of stoppage time, Canada finally broke through, from the other flank. <\/p>\n

Jacob Shaffelburg raced down the right wing and pinged in a cross which was headed clear to Eustaquio.<\/p>\n

The Porto midfielder — on loan at Los Angeles FC — chested the ball down and slammed it first-time into the bottom-left corner. <\/p>\n

Canada\u2019s bench streamed onto the pitch as the stadium erupted, celebrating a historic victory.<\/p>\n

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Stephen Eustaquio of Canada celebrates.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cGuys. Think about the two years we\u2019ve been together,\u201d Canada head coach Jesse Marsch told his players at full-time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink about how we talked about sticking to the plan, sticking to who we want to be, playing aggressive, accessing the quality, you guys showing your character.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys are Canadian heroes. Canadian heroes. Canadian heroes for the future children of this country, who play this sport. This sport has a big future because of you guys. You should be so proud of who you are. You should be so proud of this game. You went after it, moment after moment. You are Canadian heroes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stephen Eustaquio\u2019s stoppage-time winner fired Canada to a 1-0 win over South Africa on Monday morning AEST in the first match of the World Cup knockout rounds, as the co-hosts advance to the last 16 for the first time in their history. With both sides making their first-ever appearance in the knockout phase, the game […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":250524,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[156],"class_list":{"0":"post-250523","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250523\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/250524"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=250523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}