History Made: Bafana Bafana Into the Knockouts – and Sporty TV Takes South Africa With Them
Thapelo Maseko's dramatic winner sends South Africa through to the Round of 32 for the first time in the nation's history, as SportyTV passes 2 million subscribers and sets sights on co-hosts Canada
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Source: UGC
JOHANNESBURG –South Africa made history on Thursday as Bafana Bafana beat the Republic of Korea 1-0 in Monterrey to secure a memorable victory, to finish second in a brutally tough Group A and qualify for the knockout rounds of a FIFA World Cup for the very first time. SportyTV, the home of more than 2 million South Africans for this tournament, was there for every minute of it – and will be there for what comes next.
The historic result comes as SportyTV celebrates another major milestone: the platform's R10 FIFA World Cup package has now surpassed 2 million subscribers on youtube, making it one of the most successful sports streaming promotions in South Africa during the tournament
It was Thapelo Maseko who wrote his name into the country's football history, controlling the ball superbly inside the box and finishing low into the corner in the 63rd minute at Estadio BBVA to settle a tense, high-stakes contest against a South Korea side missing little in quality or desire. The win meant more than three points: it confirmed that Bafana Bafana, written off by many after a chastening opening defeat to co-hosts Mexico, had fought their way from the brink to the brink of the last 16, finishing second in a group that also included Czechia and a Korean side featuring stars such as Heung-Min Son.
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Studio coverage of the historic win, and build-up to the Canada tie, will continue under the expert eyes of Benni McCarthy, Aaron Mokoena and Quinton Fortune – the trio of former Bafana Bafana internationals who have anchored SportyTV's tournament coverage from Mexico City to Atlanta to Monterrey, and who will now help guide South Africa through uncharted territory: a World Cup knockout match.
After the historic match, an emotional and proud Bafana captain Ronwen Williams, admitting that he was “lost for words”, told the Sporty TV team of Benni McCarthy, Quinton Fortune and Aaron Mokoena: “Thank you for all that you guys have done for South African football. You paved the way for us, and gave us the belief. When our backs are against the wall, as South Africans, we keep fighting, and we keep believing… I’m so proud to be South African in these moments.
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Few who watched over the Sporty TV streaming broadcast will forget the scenes that followed the final whistle. From taxi ranks in Soweto to braais in Gqeberha, from living rooms in Durban to shebeens in Khayelitsha, South Africans erupted in celebration in the dead of night – a reminder of just how deeply this team has burrowed into the heart of a football-mad nation. The result rippled far beyond South Africa's borders too: across the continent, from Lagos to Nairobi to Accra, Africans rallied behind Bafana Bafana as the standard-bearers for the continent still standing tall in this World Cup, with the result and Sporty TV trending across the continent within minutes of the final whistle. For sixteen years South Africans have asked when their team would finally break through. On a Wednesday night that bled into Thursday morning, Hugo Broos' side answered that question in the most dramatic way possible.
There is no time to rest. South Africa now goes straight into a Round of 32 showdown against co-hosts Canada at the Los Angeles Stadium on Sunday, 28 June – kick-off 22:00 SAST. It is a daunting assignment: Canada arrive in the form of their lives, having scored freely throughout the group stage on home soil. But Bafana Bafana have already shown in Monterrey that they have the nerve and the belief for the biggest occasions, and SportyTV will once again bring every kick of the action, live, straight to South African screens and devices.
Fans wanting to be part of the next chapter can follow every twist of the Canada match with live, in-play betting through SportyBet, with markets running throughout the 90 minutes – and beyond, should the historic occasion demand extra time.
Sporty Group VP, Elias Gallego said:
“What Bafana Bafana did in Monterrey will be remembered for a generation, and we are proud that millions of our subscribers experienced it on SportyTV. This team has given the country something it has waited sixteen years for, and we are not done. If you have not yet joined the SportyTV family, there has never been a better moment – for R10, you get every match of South Africa's historic World Cup run and Africa’s continued challenge for global football honours, live, as it happens, with the best football minds in the country alongside you. Don't watch history from the outside. Join us for the Canada match and beyond.”
Benni McCarthy says:
“I have been part of a lot of special nights in football, but this one belongs to every South African. Thapelo Maseko's goal will be replayed for years to come. We have made the knockouts for the first time – now we go again, against a strong Canadian side on their own continent. If you want to be there for what could be the greatest World Cup run this country has ever produced, get on SportyTV. This story is not finished yet.”
The R10 World Cup package remains available on the SportyTV platform, with South Africa's Round of 32 clash against Canada live on Sunday, 28 June. Fans can subscribe via the SportyTV app or at www.sportytv.com.
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Source: Briefly News
