‎ By Kenneth Madaki

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‎The Bafana Bafana of South Africa made history on Thursday by qualifying for their first-ever knockout round at a World Cup.

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‎South Africa beat South Korea by a lone goal in their final Group A game at the Estadio BBVA stadium in Guadalupe, with a 63rd-minute strike by Thapelo Maseko.

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‎The victory earned the African team the maximum three points in the group, finishing second with four points, while South Korea finished third.

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‎In the other final group game played simultaneously, co-hosts Mexico, who had already advanced to the knockout stage, defeated Czechia 3-0.

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‎Goals by Mateo Chávez in the 55th minute, Julián Quiñones in the 61st minute and Álvaro Fidalgo in the 94th minute ensured Mexico won all their group games.

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‎Mexico finished as group winners with nine points, while Czechia finished bottom of the group.

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‎Substitute goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, 40, has now joined Argentina’s 39-year-old Lionel Messi and Portugal’s 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo to appear at a record sixth World Cup.

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‎Meanwhile, Gilberto Mora, at 17 years and 253 days old, became the youngest player to start a World Cup game in 24 years, since Nigeria’s Femi Opabumi against England in 2002, at 17 years and 101 days. Mora also becomes his country’s youngest ever starter in a World Cup since 1954.