Co-hosts Canada and South Africa will be aiming to reach the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals for the first time when they face off in the opening match of the knockout stage on Sunday.
According to The Punch, neither country has previously progressed beyond this stage of the tournament, with the historic encounter set to take place at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
South Africa booked their place in the last 32 after recovering from an opening 2-0 defeat to Mexico with a crucial 1-0 victory over South Korea.
Canada also advanced to the knockout rounds but finished second in their group after a 2-1 loss to Switzerland, forcing them to play away from home despite being one of the tournament’s co-hosts.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch is optimistic the return of Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies, who missed the group stage with a hamstring injury, will strengthen his side.
“Now that we have Alphonso back and healthy and ready to perform, I think it’s a big moment for the team and a big boost for the team,” Marsch said.
“He’s a big X factor for us. Being on the pitch, the belief they have in him, the belief he has in himself, I think changes the possibility of what the potential of our team is, and what we can do in this tournament.”
South Africa coach Hugo Broos described reaching the knockout stage as a major achievement for his side but insisted the team is determined to go further.
“We can say already now that the World Cup is a success for us,” Broos said, adding that his players remain hungry for more success.
