&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "FIFA 2026 | 'It is a free hit,' says Canada coach Marsch after last-gasp R32 win against South Africa")
Canada coach Jesse Marsch hailed his squad as "Canadian heroes" after the co-hosts made history on Sunday (Jun 28) by becoming the first team in the expanded 48-nation FIFA World Cup 2026 to reach the last 16. Canada won 1-0 against South Africa at a raucous SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in the injury post post regulation period of 90 minutes. It was a landmark result for a nation that had lost all six of its previous World Cup matches across two appearances, a record that Marsch and his players have now buried emphatically. With large parts of the arena draped in red, the American coach gathered his entire squad on the pitch at the final whistle to deliver a team talk that quickly went viral, telling his players they had become heroes of a nation.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 Live on Zee5 Photograph: (WION)
Canada coach hails players after last-gasp win
Speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, Marsch was unapologetic about his decision to address his players on the pitch, a moment that drew some criticism for being performative. "There are people who like to say it's performative to meet on the pitch, and frankly, I don't give a s*** what people have to say," said Marsch. "Like, all I care about is our own team and what we do together." He added that he had wanted to give "voice to them how important a moment this will prove to be for the sport in the country."
Canada finished second in their group behind Switzerland, which meant they had to leave home soil for the knockout stages, a blow given the electric atmosphere that had surrounded them in Vancouver. "We were disappointed to have to leave Canada, given the fanfare and passion around everything for the World Cup and our team," admitted Marsch. "But the guys quickly refocused and knew that this was a massive opportunity."
Their Round of 16 destination is Houston, where they will face either Morocco, whom Marsch called "a modern giant" for their 2022 semi-final heroics, or three-time finalists the Netherlands, a side he described as "a traditional giant."
Far from being overawed, Marsch is embracing the occasion. "I feel like it's a free hit, and we're going to go after it and do everything we can to see if we can find a way to get a win," he said.
Where to watch and live stream Canada's FIFA World Cup 2026 matches?
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Canada's knockout matches in FIFA World Cup 2026 will be aired LIVE across WION's sister company Zee5 app and website. (link: https://www.zee5.com/)