New Delhi, June 30 -- Inglewood in Los Angeles is famous for its film studios, and the SoFi Stadium, an hour's drive away if the traffic is kind, has fostered a fair amount of sporting dreams. World Cup co-hosts Canada saw their dream take wings early on Monday (IST) after a historic first knockout victory, beating South Africa 1-0 to enter the Round of 16. The lowest ranked among the three nations staging this World Cup, anxiety that they could become the first to be ejected from their own party seemed to grow as attack after attack hit the defence wall of Bafana Bafana. Being the hosts meant the players could draw upon the energy from the heaving red wall of fans and millions elsewhere. But the deadlock wasn't broken and the pressure built on the home team with South Africa looking happy to take the match into extra-time, and possibly penalties. It was the second minute into added time when midfielder Stephen Eustaquio sent the Canadians into ecstatic celebrations. The son of Portuguese migrants, he had played for the country of his parents' origin as a junior before pledging his allegiance to his birth country. South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and the defenders, especially the 20-year-old Mbekezeli Mbokazi with his maturity and brilliant saves, had held on till then. But Alphonso Davies, the Bayern Munich playmaking defender who sat out the group stages and sent in after 75 minutes, had electrified Canada's late attempts. While Davies initiated several close attempts playing high up on the left, the switch to the right did the trick. Fullback Alistair Johnson went deep and crossed, and the headed clearance was brilliantly chested by Eustaquio, who calmly hammered a low volley to the right of Williams and to the bottom corner. The Canada players erupted as the South Africans slumped to the ground, their own first entry into the knockouts headed for dejection in the next few minutes. The co-hosts lost the chance to continue playing at Toronto or Vancouver after finishing only second in Group B, behind Switzerland, to be forced to play in the USA. But the SoFi Stadium held a lot of meaning. Eustaquio plays for Los Angeles FC, based not far away. Davies, whose World Cup involvement was delayed after suffering a third hamstring issue this year, had torn knee ligament at the venue in 2025 during a CONCACAF Nations League game. The two seasoned players provided the inspiration that will carry Canadian football long, along with coach Jesse Marsch inspiring words after the match and his decisive decision to send in Davies just when the players were beginning to falter and SA's midfield diamond was restricting their attacking options. Canada run into the winners of Tuesday's Round of 32 clash between Netherlands and Morocco, at Houston on July 4. Eustaquio, the designated free-kick and corner-kick taker who showed ice-cool nerves and perfect technique to score the winner, said: "I shot with everything I had." Canada, clearing the enterprising side throughout, saw a few chances come and go, their own inability to finish and South Africa's solid defence. Canada perhaps should have put the match to bed much earlier. Jonathan Davies volleyed wide from a corner, and Derek Cornelius failed to get proper contact on a free header from five yards following Eustaquio's freekick. Davies showed his superior level moments after arriving. His first touch was a brilliant pass, but substitute Promise David's shot from top of the box was wide. Davies' toe-poke inside the box then beat the SA defence, but Jonathan David's shot at the near post wasn't high enough, allowing Williams to palm it off. There were goalline saves as well by SA, but Canada, having cleared the group stage for the first time which they could not in Mexico 1986 and Qatar 2022, can start believing now. South Africa, who also entered the knockouts for the first time, paid the price for lacking any initiative....