Watch: Stoppage-time goal lifts co

Watch: Stoppage-time goal lifts co-hosts Canada to last 16 at World Cup

Co-hosts Canada and South Africa both made World Cup history as they met in the opening game of the knockout round.

Stephen Eustáquio's stoppage-time winner fired Canada to a 1-0 win over South Africa on Monday AEST in the first match of the World Cup knockout rounds, as the co-hosts advance to the last 16 for the first time in their history.

With both sides making their first-ever appearance in the knockout phase, the game appeared to be heading for extra time before Eustáquio broke South African hearts with a clinical hit from just outside the area.

Canada — playing in Los Angeles despite being co-hosts, after failing to win their group — will now face the Netherlands or Morocco in Houston in the last 16 on 4 July, as South Africa's World Cup adventure comes to an end.

Before the match, coach Jesse Marsch had talked up the "X-factor" of Canada's star Alphonso Davies, available again after a hamstring injury.

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But the Bayern Munich wing-back, who was yet to appear at this World Cup, remained glaringly absent from the starting line-up.

Still, Canada began on the front foot, racking up chances against South Africa's low block.

In the 22nd minute, a pinpoint Eustáquio free-kick found teammate Derek Cornelius wide open on the six-yard line. The Canadian centre-back utterly mistimed his headed effort.

South Africa threatened sporadically on the counter. But in a frenetic period just before half-time, Canada came agonisingly close.

From a corner, Canadian Moïse Bombito's header was cleared off the line before Tajon Buchanan's follow-up shot was blocked by goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

Moments later, South Africa's Khuliso Mudau crashed into Canada's Richie Laryea, but his penalty appeals were waved away.

That enraged a heavily Canadian crowd, and the jeers grew louder after half-time as South Africa were content to exchange deep passes under little pressure while the clock ticked down.

Just past the hour mark, Canada came close again.

Substitute Niko Sigur slid a through ball to Tani Oluwaseyi, whose shot was well-saved by the goalkeeper and looped up toward Jonathan David — but South African defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi just got there first and cleared brilliantly.

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In the 75th minute, Davies finally appeared, to a huge roar, and made an immediate impact.

From the left wing, Davies found David, who laid the ball to fellow striker — and no relation — Promise David, but his shot went wide.

Moments later, Davies found Jonathan David again. This time, he shot from a tight angle but was denied by Williams.

In the second minute of stoppage time, Canada finally broke through, from the other flank.

Jacob Shaffelburg raced down the right wing and pinged in a cross, which was headed clear to Eustáquio.

The Porto midfielder — on loan at Los Angeles FC — chested the ball down and slammed it first-time into the bottom-left corner.

Canada's bench streamed onto the pitch as the stadium erupted, celebrating a historic victory.

— With reporting by the Reuters news agency and Agence-France Presse.

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