President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Bafana Bafana following their heroics at the Fifa World Cup.
Image: Jairus Mmutle / GCIS
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has led the country's celebrations after Bafana Bafana secured a historic place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stages for the first time.
Bafana booked their place in the round of 32 with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Korea in Monterrey, with Thapelo Maseko scoring the decisive goal.
The result capped another impressive performance from Hugo Broos's side, who have earned widespread praise for their organisation, discipline, and growing confidence on football's biggest stage.
In an official statement released on Thursday morning, President Ramaphosa congratulated the team on achieving a milestone moment for South African football.
"Congratulations to Bafana Bafana on beating South Korea 1-0 in Monterrey to make it to the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup for the first time," Ramaphosa said.
The president also acknowledged the contributions of head coach Hugo Broos and match-winner Maseko, whilst praising the collective effort that has carried South Africa into the next round.
"Coach Hugo Broos and scorer Thapelo Maseko opened the way for South Africa to progress to the round of 32, where an encounter with tournament co-hosts Canada awaits," he said.
Ramaphosa added that the side had shown "discipline in defence and precision in their attack" throughout the tournament and urged South Africans to continue backing the squad.
Bafana will now shift their focus to a high-stakes knockout clash against Canada as they attempt to extend their dream run and create another piece of footballing history when they take on the co-hosts in Los Angeles on Sunday.