India, June 29 -- Co-hosts Canada might have felt burdened as the first home team to play a World Cup knockout match away after finishing second in Group B, which forced them to travel to Los Angeles, having just made national football history by qualifying for the knockouts for the first time.

The sea of boisterous fans in red, Canadian and local, gave them extra power as they surged forward tirelessly against an ultra-defensive South Africa, the Bafana Bafana, also having got out of the group stage for the first time, happy to apply a low defensive block and push the game as deep as it would take them. Extra time and penalties seemed okay, as their lone shot on target showed.

However, two moments of inspiration from their leaders turn...