Five takeaways from Bafana's historic World Cup victory over South Korea

We take a look at the five notable points from South Africa's 1-0 result against Korea at Estadio Monterrey and what made the difference for Hugo Broos side as they advanced past the group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Tactical masterclass

South Africa came into the match without key suspended midfielders Themba Zwane and Teboho Mokoena but the players who featured against Korea rose to the occasion.

Broos opted for the double pivot midfield pairing of Sphephelo Sithole and Thalente Mbatha, who were both excellent during the match while allowing Relebohile Mofokeng the opportunity to find spaces behind the Korean backline with his passes.

Bafana did not push their wingbacks forward a lot in this clash, maintaining their defensive shape well throughout the match.

Impactful substitutions

Hugo Broos was the catalyst for Bafana Bafana's winner after substitute Tshepang Moremi provided the assist for Thapelo Maseko's winner within a minute of being on the field.

The coach also opted to keep two strikers on the field in the final moments, with Iqraam Rayners coming on late to wear down the South Korean defence while Jayden Adams provided stability in the midfield in his cameo, retaining the ball well as covering spaces as South Africa preserved their lead.

High team spirit and determination

Bafana Bafana were the more threatening team in the historic victory against Korea, with more attempts at goal during the match while Ronwen Williams had little to do.

There were moments where the players congratulated each other for key tackles and for applying pressure on the opposition, a clear indication of the positive mindset the squad had leading up to the match.

Most importantly, the team fought together and showed resilience to bounce back from a bad start in the tournament and the subsequent criticism.

Maseko redemption

Thapelo Maseko completed his redemption with the winning goal after squandering numerous opportunities to give Bafana Bafana the lead, his perseverance is commendable as other players could have dropped their heads after missing chances.

The 21-year-old missed out on the 2025 African Cup of Nations selection before shining in Cyprus on loan but will now be brimming with confidence heading into the next clash, having shown the country why he needed game-time at Sundowns.

Mbokazi, Okon defensive pairing shines

South Africa were outstanding in defence, with Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Ime Okon dominating the more experienced Korean forwards throughout the match, not allowing them clear chances.

Korea only managed to have half [seven] the number of shots at goal than Bafana Bafana [14], with only two lame attempts being comfortably dealt with by Ronwen Williams.

The new defensive pairing will excite fans due to both players being under 23-years-old, which bodes well for the nation's future.