"People went crazy over the Korea match result." At 3 a.m., South Africans in pajamas rushed out... The scene on the ground was a festival.

*This content was translated by AI.

While it was a painful moment for Korean soccer, it was a historic night of nationwide joy for South Africa.

Reuters reported on the 25th (Korea time) that "South African soccer fans poured into the streets in their pajamas to celebrate their World Cup achievement."

The outlet continued, "South Africans rushed out of their homes in pajamas to celebrate their national team's qualification for the Round of 32. They sang and danced, reveling in their joy," adding, "This achievement also served as a moment to wash away the pain of 2010, which had weighed down the South African national team for the past 16 years."

Reuters stated, "South Africa pulled off an upset by defeating Korea 1-0, securing second place in Group A. As a result, South Africa will face co-host Canada in the Round of 32 in Los Angeles, USA."

The Korean national soccer team, led by manager Hong Myung-bo, lost 0-1 to South Africa in the final Group A match of the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup, held at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico.

In this tournament, Korea was drawn into Group A alongside host nation Mexico, Czechia, and South Africa. Korea secured a 2-1 comeback victory against Czechia in the first match but lost 0-1 to Mexico in the second. Even so, a draw against South Africa would have been enough to finish second in Group A and advance to the Round of 32. However, an unexpected shock defeat pushed them down to third place in the group.

Consequently, the fortunes of the two teams diverged sharply. In Group A, Mexico finished first with three wins (9 points) and advanced to the Round of 32. South Africa recorded one win, one draw, and one loss (4 points), finishing second and reaching the tournament stage. Korea remained in third place with one win and two losses (3 points). Czechia concluded their World Cup journey with one draw and two losses (1 point).

Starting from this tournament, the number of World Cup participating nations has expanded from 32 to 48. Accordingly, the top two teams from each of the 12th groups, along with the eight best-performing third-place teams among the 12 third-place teams, will join the Round of 32. There is still a possibility for Korea to advance to the Round of 32. However, the situation is not easy. Currently, in the standings for third-place teams in the North American World Cup, Korea is in sixth place.

In contrast, South Africa wrote a new history by advancing to the tournament stage for the first time in their fourth World Cup appearance. Previously, South Africa had qualified for the World Cup finals three times in 1998, 2002, and 2010, but were eliminated in the group stage each time. Most notably, at the 2010 South Africa World Cup, they suffered the humiliation of being the first host nation to be eliminated in the group stage in World Cup history.

Reuters noted, "It is the first time South Africa has passed the World Cup group stage in their fourth attempt. The most painful failure was in 2010. At that time, although South Africa was the host nation, they became the first host nation in World Cup history to fail to advance from the group stage." It continued, "That memory left a deep wound in South Africa. Therefore, this achievement led to pure joy and relief."

South African soccer fans also cheered enthusiastically. Reuters explained, "The match against Korea started at 3 a.m. local time in South Africa. However, the fatigue of the fans could not break their will. In Soweto and other areas, fans of all ages, men and women, came out of their homes in pajamas and nightgowns. As soon as the final whistle blew, they started a festival in the streets."

South Africa is a powerhouse in rugby and cricket. However, the sport that enjoys the greatest public popularity is undoubtedly soccer. Yet, the South African national soccer team has struggled on the international stage for a long time since winning the 1996 African Nations Cup. They have now shed that past in this North American World Cup. The victory against Korea served as the foundation.

Lorenz Koller, a prominent South African sports journalist, told Reuters in an interview, "The moment South Africa scored a goal, the cheers erupting from neighboring houses alone showed how many citizens stayed awake to watch the match."

He continued, "It was undoubtedly the best South African match I have watched in recent years. This celebration was an explosion of frustrations and passions that had accumulated over several years all at once. People were completely crazy."

He added, "This moment will never be forgotten. It will also become an opportunity for the world to focus on South Africa's soccer talent," expressing joy that "a grand picture beyond the World Cup has been drawn."

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*This content was translated by AI.