South Africa's coach claims team silenced critics with victory over South Korea

South Africa coach Hugo Broos declared that his team had silenced their critics after Bafana Bafana secured a historic World Cup knockout spot by defeating South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday.

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The African team, competing in the tournament for the fourth time, finished second in Group A behind co-hosts Mexico, who maintained a perfect record with three wins out of three.

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South Africa, who last appeared in the World Cup when they hosted it in 2010, were largely written off after their 2-0 loss to Mexico in their opening match.

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However, they battled to a draw against the Czech Republic and emerged victorious in a de facto shootout for second place in Monterrey, thanks to Thapelo Maseko’s second-half strike.

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Broos expressed his pride in his team's performance, stating that they had responded to their critics, and noted that they had simply executed their plan to achieve the desired result.

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The 74-year-old coach, who has been at the helm since 2021, described reaching the second round as an emotional moment for South Africa.

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Broos reflected on his career, saying that reaching the second round was a dream way to potentially end his career, as he had previously suggested that this might be one of his last games.

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The Belgian coach revealed that he had always believed in his players, despite the harsh criticism they faced, and attributed this to a unique bond between him and his team.

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Broos described his relationship with the players as that of a friend, rather than just a coach, which he believed was a key factor in their success.

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South Africa will face Canada, one of the tournament co-hosts, in Los Angeles on Sunday, with a place in the last 16 at stake.

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Broos expressed confidence that his players would be ready for the challenge, saying that they would strive to achieve a historic third-round spot and prove themselves as a good team.