By OkayGoal 
South Africa and Canada face off in their first ever knockout fixture in a World Cup as they prepare for the Round of 32 match on Sunday at the Los Angeles Stadium.
South Africa vs Canada – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 28th June.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood, California, USA.
South Africa team news
South Africa enters this historic World Cup Round of 32 clash with significant squad adjustments.
Teboho Mokoena returns to the squad after serving a mandatory one-match suspension during the group stage finale against South Korea due to accumulated yellow cards.
However, head coach Hugo Broos remains without attacking midfielder Themba Zwane. South Africa lost their appeal to overturn Zwane’s red-card suspension extension, forcing him to serve a three-game ban following his ejection against Mexico.
Broos is expected to field a gritty, counter-attacking 4-2-3-1 formation designed to frustrate their opponents.
Evidence Makgopa will spearhead the attacking line as the lone striker. He will rely on creative support from Thapelo Maseko and Oswin Appollis occupying the flanks.
Ronwen Williams will captain the side from goal, anchoring a disciplined defensive unit aiming for another crucial clean sheet on the big stage.
Canada team news
Canada faces severe injury hurdles ahead of this knockout fixture under manager Jesse Marsch.
Midfielder Ismaël Koné is officially ruled out for the remainder of the World Cup after suffering a severe leg break against Qatar.
Star left-back Alphonso Davies remains a major doubt; having missed the entire group stage with a persistent hamstring injury, he may only feature as a limited second-half substitute.
Furthermore, midfield anchor Stephen Eustáquio faces a late fitness test. If Eustáquio is unavailable, Nathan Saliba and Mathieu Choinière will likely hold the central corridor.
Despite these setbacks in defence and midfield, Marsch is opting for an aggressive attacking approach. Canada will deploy a traditional 4-4-2 setup featuring the lethal strike partnership of Jonathan David and Cyle Larin up top.
This dual-striker system aims to heavily pressure and exploit South Africa’s deep defensive block from the opening whistle.
Form
South Africa
South Africa enters the knockout stage in resilient form, securing passage via a gritty 1-0 group-stage finale victory against South Korea. Their tactical blueprint relies on defensive solidity, bouncing back from an intense opening match against Mexico. Hugo Broos’s squad has shown immense discipline under pressure, keeping consecutive clean sheets in their recent fixtures. While their attack occasionally stalls in a low block, their efficient counter-attacking transition makes them incredibly dangerous opponents.
Canada
Canada advances to the Round of 32 despite suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat against Switzerland in their final Group B match. While Jesse Marsch’s team showed immense attacking power earlier in the tournament—most notably in their explosive 6-0 victory over Qatar—their backline struggled against clinical European opposition. The Canucks play an aggressive, high-pressing style that generates heavy scoring output, but they must find tactical stability at the back to survive the knockout stages.
Predicted lineups
South Africa: Williams; Mudau, Mbokazi, Okon, Modiba; Mbatha, Mokoena; Maseko, Mofokeng, Appollis; Makgopa
Canada: Crepeau; Johnston, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Buchanan, Eustaquio, Saliba, Ahmed; David, Larin
How to watch South Africa vs Canada?
In the United Kingdom, you can watch the historic South Africa vs. Canada World Cup Round of 32 match live on BBC One and stream it online via BBC iPlayer.
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