Maseko’s winner seals South Africa’s 1–0 victory over South Korea: We can go all the way — why not?

South Africa defeated South Korea 1–0 in their final group-stage match of the World Cup, with the match-winning goalscorer Maseko speaking to Sportytv after the game.

On the match
Unbelievable. I really can’t believe it. It feels like a dream — everything is just incredible.

You had a great chance in the first half and kept pushing in the second half, creating more opportunities. What mindset kept you going?

Just persistence. That’s football — you get chances, some you take and some you don’t. To be honest, that’s also what makes top players top players. I’m just happy I could help the team and my teammates. But honestly, the credit goes to them. They fought so hard, especially the back line. Our four defenders and the midfielders — everyone put in a huge effort, and that was key to us winning the game. So first, I want to thank my teammates I played alongside, and also our coaching staff and all the workers. I’m really grateful.

A few weeks ago, I asked you about your hamstring injury against Cape Verde and your journey since then. Now you’ve scored the goal that helped the team reach the Round of 32. After everything, how do you feel?

Everything is good, really good. I thank God for everything. I’m just grateful, and I really appreciate it all. Even now, I still can’t fully believe it.

Now that the team has reached the knockout stage, how far do you think this team can go?

I believe we can go all the way — why not?