Righto, our match report is here:
Which means that’s it from me. Thanks all for your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all, they’re all very much appreciated – and until Wimbledon tomorrow, peace out.
Er, allow me to introduce you to my new colleague, Rodrygo.
“The Lowest of the Low for me, offers Michael St John-Mcalister. “Their debut album, Shakespeare My Butt is superb.”
But how, exactly, does one Shakespeare someone’s butt?
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I wonder if Alphonso Davies will be ready to start the last 16 match. Canada were a different team when he came on and I’d say the first hour, if that’s all he can manage, will be more important than the last half-hour
Eustaquio, it turns out, lost both his parents in quick succession a couple of years ago, and the local interviewer wastes no time in hazelirvining him to the verge of tears.
“Everything I do is for my family, for my parents, for my daughter,” he says; “Canada thanks you,” responds the interviewer.
“I can’t fault any of the other musical choices here,” says Karin Gilmore, “as it would be very unCanadian of me to do so, but if you aren’t talking about The Hip you aren’t talking Canadian icons.”
ITV show us footage of Marsch praising his players in the huddle for showing continued aggression, telling them they’re “Canadian heroes” and that kids will be playing the game because of them. Which is quite something to contemplate – what a gift to give the people.
We had to wait for it, but that goal was worth all the preceding nonsense, a player changing his life with an affirming moment of precision and composure. Imagine what his family are experiencing now, amazing.
Phew, what a finish that was! I wouldn’t exactly say Canada deserved it apart from the fact they scored it, but they had by far the better of the game and chances; I would though, say South Africa absolutely deserved it; they’ve been painfully devoid of zest, quality and enterprise, so.
FULL TIME: South Africa 0-1 Canada
A goal in the second minute of stoppage time sends Canada past a deeply disappointing South Africa and into the last 16 where they’ll meet Morocco or the Netherlands. But that’s not for now: now is for revelling in the greatest day in Canadian men’s soccer history!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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Half-time email: “Would Alanis cut it as a Canadian icon?” wonders Mike Gibbons. “Jagged Little Pill alone did wild numbers worldwide. Also – and we don’t know if Celine turned it down or not – Alanis sang the Canadian national anthem to kick off their hosting stint at this World Cup.”
She definitely transcended – I can’t say i got on with it myself, but in 1995, she was everywhere, confusing irony with annoying.
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HALF-TIME: South Africa 0-0 Canada
Canada have been the better side, Cornelius missing a great chance, Bombito having a header cleared off the line and the ref refusing what looked a clear penalty. But we’re goalless at the break, both teams with plenty of improving to do.
45+2 min The ref isn’t even asked to consult the monitor, and on we go – I can’t say i get that. I bet Jesse Marsch finds the whole thing hilarious.
45+1 min NOW THEN! Canada attack down the left and Maseko slides in front of Laryea, while Mudau bumps into him from behind, making no touch on the ball, and down he goes. I think that’s a penalty; the ref says not, but I’d expect this to be given on review.
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44 min The delivery is brilliant and Bombito is up! He heads down powerfully and wheels away in celebration, believing he’s scored and so he should … but Modiba makes a brilliant lunging block on the line! Canada, though, win the second ball, it breaks to Buchanan … and his shot is blocked by Willams’ chest. Good keeping, but brilliant defending.
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43 min Better from Canada, Millar flicking Johnston away down the left; his square pass isn’t gathered by David after Mbokazi misses his kick, but earns a corner down the left.
40 min Mbokazi fouls Oluwaseyi down the Canadian right … but Eustaquio’s corner is poor.
39 min “Certainly rooms should be light,” retorts Charles Antaki, “but a well-chosen darker colour introduces a subtle contrast. From the World Cup palette, perhaps the Spain 2nd strip for the wall-tiles, and a DRC blue to ‘pop out’ as they say down the bathroom furniture showrooms? It has a Hockney bigger splash vibe.”
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37 min An excellent channel-ball from Mukausets Appollis at Bombito, who makes a decent challenge at cost of a corner … overruled in favour of a goalkick. This game has stuffy-winner-late-in-extra-time-depriving-us-of-penalties written all over it.
35 min Saliba, coming into the game, intercepts a poor pass out of defence and finds Millar, a willing runner down the left, but so far unable to find the quality which needs to back it up, and he’s quickly unloaded. So SA go down the other end and win a corner, Okon heading it up into the air and behind.
33 min Buchanan does well to move the ball away from Modiba, rolling it backwards with his studs and finding Johnston, overlapping … but Appollis tracks back to tackle.
32 min He’s coming back from injury, but surely Alphonso Davies will be introduced sooner rather than later – his explosive speed and mentality are exactly what Canada need. Meantime, Saliba’s pass is intercepted by Mudau and SA build again.
31 min Mokoena crosses into the box and it’s not a bad effort, but Crepeau comes and collects.
29 min We’re getting a pleasingly hollow sound when boot meets leather near the near side of the pitch. Maybe some pleasing football would also be nice; “It’s a game of chess in many ways,” says my commentator; Lucy Ward, his excellent co, opts not to wonder which and how any.
27 min We go again…
26 min “Entertaining game – lots going on,” enthuses Charles Antaki. “But I find my attention drawn to the Canada shirts; I’m thinking of fitting panels to my shower cubicle at home, and the shirts bear an extraordinarily strong resemblance to ‘Dark Tuscan Marble No 1’ from a well-known up market supplier. Possibly the inspiration for the kit. Far too expensive for me though.”
I’d counsel to the contrary – rooms should be light. You’re all welcome.
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24 min Time to hydrate, mates! What a buzz.
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22 min Eustaquio’s delivery is perfect, Cornelius alone in the centre of the box and maybe eight yards out. This is his moment, the moment of his life! But he makes poor contact, a gentle glance that’s still a goal either of the keeper, going straight at Williams. That is a colossal oversight, but if SA continue marking like that – or not marking like that – it won’t be long before they concede.
22 min And they win a free-kick 25 yards out, well left of centre and level with the edge of the box.
21 min “Is this a time that Canada is ‘asking questions’ wonders Joshua Reynolds, “or is it more ‘knocking on the door’?”
I’d say neither – I’d go for “hoping to build a head of steam”.
19 min I only saw highlights of SA’s win over South Korea, but I watched their first two games, and this is the most composure I’ve seen them play with. They’ve still got the edge of a velvet circle, but this is still much better.
17 min And this time, Eustaquio’s corner is perfect, picking out David peeling off, and he sidefoots a volley … a yard or two past the near post. That was a difficult chance, but a chance nevertheless.
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16 min Canada win another corner – down the right, pressure building a little.
15 min “To follow up on Travis Giblin’s fun Vegas story,” begins Justin Kavanagh. “A friend of mine, who has less than zero interest in soccer, told me that he turned down his company’s offer of two tickets to the World Cup Final in 1986! My jaw dropped as I thought of watching Maradona at his greatest triumph and almost wept. If that happened this year, you could sell the frickin’ tickets and buy yourself a nice mansion down in Mexico.”
Here’s my story about not using tickets and regretting it, though I did once meet Bobby Charlton on a London-Manchester train. He offered me a lift to Old Trafford and I said nah, you’re alright, a mate’s picking me up.
14 min And there’s some more, Oluwaseyi touching off to David, who slides Millar away down the left. But a heavy touch allows Mbokazi to intercede well, at cost of another corner.
12 min Johnston mooches down the right and squares for Oluwaseyi, but a loose touch ends the move. Canada look the better side on the counter, but so far, both are suffering from a lack of care and precision in their actions. “In their actions”, who am I trying to kid; on the ball.
11 min Buchanan nails Mofokeng with a hard but fair challenge, on which point I’ve really enjoyed a lot of the reffing in the competition so far, physical tackles generally allowed. In particular, I thought Tori Penso did a brilliant job ion the Germany v Ecuador game, especially in the second half, of letting the players compete and the game flow.
9 min Oluwaseyi out to Millar, who feeds down the line for Laryea, and his cross is blocked behind. But Eustaquio’s corner eludes everyone, and again, SA get it forward quickly.
8 min Crepeau goes long for Buchanan down the right, but Mbokazi does well to insert himself between man and ball, seeing it behind for another goalkick. We’ve not seen loads of quality so far, but the intention and intensity seem present and correct.
6 min Yup, SA want to win this, Maseko finding Mofokeng, who finds Mokoena, who shoots from the edge … but Crepeau shovels away easily enough – though had there been a striker following in, he could’ve been in trouble.
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5 min SA look more inclined to attack than in previous matches, but when Ocon passes back there’s minor panic … but Williams is there ahead of David to clear.
4 min “Fun little story about Celine Dion, says Travis Giblin. “Years ago I was at work (I’m a physiotherapist, in Canada) treating people with head and spinal cord injuries. I assessed a guy with a head injury who remarked ‘my wife is really annoyed I fell off the ladder as we were supposed to go to Vegas tomorrow.’ I said ‘Really? I’m heading there tonight after work.’ He then offers me their tickets to Celine Dion free of charge which. .. I turned down. I was heading to Vegas with my buddies, we were staying on Fremont (downtown, not The Strip) and had zero plans to go to The Strip. So, yeah, while she’s a Canadian icon she’s not for everybody. That said, when she appeared at the finale of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony she was nothing short of incredible...”
3 min A loose pass from Bombito allows Appollis to attack space in behind Johnston, but a poor touch quickly aborts the attack.
2 min David feeds into Millar, in midfield, who goes wide to Laryea, and when Maseko challenges, Canada go backwards, Mudau conceding a throw deep inside his own half. But it comes to nothing, the ball soon going behind for a goalkick.
1 min Gosh, our camera angle is vertiginous to say the least; it’s like White Hart Lane never left.
1 min Our knockout stages are away!
You can see the tension etched into the players’ faces. They’ve never experienced anything like this before; how will they handle the pressure?
Anthem time…
Our teams are ready … and here they come! Our knockout stages are almost ready to begin, and if they’re of similar drama to the groups, we’re in for a treat; hell, we’re in for a treat regardless. Football, my friends, is unstoppable, undeniable and undefeated.
It’s a big night for Jonathan David, a player lots of big clubs looked at adn passed on before he joined Juve. Can he push himself into the elite? A big performance here would be a statement.
“Talking of Celine Dion,” says Peter Walker, “did you know she had come out in support of farmers by removing all the consonants from her name?”
Badabing!
Tangentially, as I’ve done every time I’ve covered SA, I’m posting a playlist of favourite South African tunes. I’d be shocked if you didn’t find it some of the most thrilling music imaginable – though it fully comes to life in the club, not the headphones.
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“Quick note to say that sorry, yes, Celine Dion is an icon here in Canada,” writes Scott Maynard in Yukon, Canada, “especially in Quebec and other French-speaking parts of the country. You may not agree with it, but that doesn’t make it not the case! Suggested reading, ‘Lets talk about love’ by Carl Wilson, which is part of the 33 1/3 series of books on music, and explores the nature of taste in the context of, you guessed it, Celine Dion – as in I hate this music, millions of people love it, what am I missing type thing.”
Ha, I pitched write one of those on Goldie’s Timeless, one of my all-time favourite albums, but someone else had got there before me. Otherwise, no need to apologise, I’m not at all opposed to the principle, just eager to understand the reasons why.
My TV feed has just shown a selection of the best goals so far. I think Promise David’s for Canada against Switzerland might be my aesthetic favourite – but there are loads I’d pick above it once factoring in importance.
Canada, meanwhile, will look to dominate in wide areas, their full-backs supporting the wide midfielders and helping serve the front two. Marking two strikers a man each – is a lot harder for centre-backs than sharing one between them, and I expect that to be the difference in this match.
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Anyway, back to our game, where is it? I assume South Africa will sit deep, the two in front of the defence not moving much, especially at the start. But the full-backs will get forward, especially Mudau on the right, with Mofokeng prompting around the fringes of the box and, as the game develops, Mokoena and Sithole will look to move forward, hoping their 4-3-3 wins the midfield numbers-game against Canada’s 4-4-2.
In Tuchel’s defence, I think he’s picked a squad he thinks is best-placed to beat the best teams – by running and powering them off the pitch – but even within that, you need options and variety. Otherwise, teams know exactly how to prepare for you and you’re essentially saying if things go badly – they suss how to handle the formation, say – the problem is still the players, who are replaced like for like.
On UK TV, they’ve been talking about England, noting that DR Congo play a low block. A bit of a problem if your manager has picked a team full of big-space players and seems strangely reticent to use his only real small-space expert. I’m not surprised Thomas Tuchel isn’t into Kobbie Mainoo – he’s picked a squad big on physicality and low on craft – but why take him if you’d rather play Jordan Henderson?
A Canada-related question for you: yesterday, my wife and I were discussing Celine Dion and whether she’s an icon; my wife reckoned yes, I leaned no. So went to the OED, which says: “a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or worthy of veneration.” I guess I need the first arm as well as the first, or we’re letting too many into the category, and I’m not sure she satisfies it; I demand transcendence!
Oh man, my eyeballs are sweating and we’re 45 minutes away from watching the teams come out. Can Stokes play football?
Oh my goodness. Nothing to do with football, but everything to do with humanity: Ben Stokes, what a man. If you’re near a telly with Sky, get it on – it’s montage time.
This is fun:
“A difficult match to call, right?” begins Krishnamoorthy V. “Both are likely to be cautious and hence a 0-0 and extra time looks certain. I only hope this does not go to penalties - I dislike the penalty shootout. It is akin to a coin toss in a way. Let there be positive engaging quality match.”
I fancy Canada, who I think have the greater zest and the better better players, especially as we saw SA freeze against Mexico; I expect them tp attack the situation. But I disagree penalties is a coin toss – it’s a test of technique under awful, wonderful pressure.
Jesse Marsch makes four changes to the side that lost to Switzerland. At centre-back, Moïse Bombito replaces Luc De Fougerolles; in midfield, Stephen Eustaquio is in for Mathieu Choinière; on the left, it’s Tani Oluwaseyi not Ali Ahmed; and up front, Liam Millar is preferred to Cyle Larin.
One change for SA, Teboho Mokoena – for my money, their best player in the first two games, an admittedly subterranean bar – returning from suspension, so Thalente Mbatha drops back to the bench.
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Teams!
South Africa (4-2-3-1): Williams; Mudau, Mbokazi, Okon, Modiba Mokeana, Sithole; Maseko, Mofokeng, Appollis; Makgopa. Subs: Adams, Chaine, Cross, Foster, Goss, Kabini, Makhanya, Matuludi, Mbartha, Moremi, Ndamene, Rayners, Sebelebe, Sibisi.
Canada (4-4-2): Crepeau; Johnston, Cornelius, Bombito, Laryea; Buchanan, Saliba, Eustaquio, Millar; David, Oluwaseyi. Subs: Ahmed, Choiniere, David, Davies, De Fougerolles, Goodman, Jones, Larin, Nelson, Osorio, Shaffelburg, Sigur, St. Clair, Waterman.
Referee: João Pedro Silva Pinheiro (Portugal)
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Preamble
Being a footballer is the greatest thing in the world, right? We all spend our lives doing something, and how wonderful it must be for that something to be something we love, surfing extremes of emotion with teammates who become family.
But there’s a debt to pleasure, paid by players and those close to them, with childhoods sacrificed, relationships compromised and time disappeared; the game consumes everything, its indigestion somehow passed on to those being eaten. Nights like tonight, though, are what make it all worthwhile, two countries contesting a World Cup knockout for the first time and a moment none who are part of it would have dared dream possible.
There’s a Yiddish word, naches, that roughly translates as deep pride and joy in the achievements of people to whom you’re close; it’s one of the greatest feelings known to humankind, and sometimes, in extreme cases, those of us with no connection to its protagonists, are lucky enough to experience the love. When the teams walk out tonight, we will know it.
Both of them are fortunate to be involved. South Africa were unfathomably dreadful in the opening game and scarcely better in their second, then somehow found enough in their third to snaffle a win, while Canada were also disappointing , a draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina and a defeat against Switzerland bookending a convincing win over a miserable Qatar. That is one way of looking at things.
Another, though, is to say that Bafana Bafana come into this game on a buzz, feeling great about themselves and ready to attack a chance they can’t have expected. Canada, meantime, fired by hosting vibes, have been handed a winnable tie, knowing they’ve enough going forward to exploit it. And for both, this is the opportunity of several lifetimes, the question how, fully cognisant of all it’s taken for them to reach this point, they find, then balance, the composure and devil it’ll take to do it and themselves justice; to launch those already soaring into another dimension.
Chances are, this isn’t the best or most meaningful match we enjoy this week, but goodness me, not many will be as special.
Kick-off: 3pm EDT, 8pm BST, 5am (Monday) AEST
