Canada reaches World Cup round of 16 for first time with last-gasp goal

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Canada achieved a historic feat by reaching the round of 16 for the first time, thanks to a goal by Stephen Eustaquio in the 90+2nd minute.

Scraper SystemJune 29, 2026, 09:55 AM

Canada reaches World Cup round of 16 for first time with last-gasp goal

Canada, one of the hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, achieved a historic feat. Stephen Eustaquio's goal in the 90+2nd minute took the Canadian national team to the round of 16 for the first time in a World Cup.

This crucial goal also went down in World Cup history. Eustaquio became the first player to score a winning goal in the final moments of a knockout match since Belgium's Nacer Chadli's goal against Japan in the 2018 World Cup.

Tactical balance and historic opportunity

The match, in which both teams were competing in the knockout stages for the first time in their history, was marked by mutual tactical caution, especially in the first half. Although Canada co-hosted the tournament with the United States and Mexico, they lost 2-1 to Switzerland in their final group match, losing the group lead and having to play this crucial match away from home.

Canada, which had exited the tournament in the group stage in 1986 and 2022, rewrote the country's football history with this victory.

Players' great pride

Speaking after the match, Eustaquio said, "We never stopped believing, and I think we deserved this goal in the end." Stating that he felt all his teammates were shooting with him at the moment of the goal, Eustaquio said, "We were calm as a team. We tried to make sure Morocco and the Netherlands would watch our match and know who they would face in the next round."

Defender Alistair Johnston described the achievement as "an unforgettable moment." Johnston said, "We are writing history for Canadian football and Canadian sports in general. It's incredible just to think about it." Also mentioning the disciplined defensive performance, Johnston said, "I am proud that we completed the match without conceding a goal. The whole team put in a great defensive shift. Considering the details of the match, I can say this was a perfect performance for a knockout match."

With this victory, Canada will face the winner of the Morocco-Netherlands match, to be played on Tuesday in Monterrey, in the round of 16.

Canada reaches World Cup round of 16 for first time with last-gasp goal

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Canada achieved a historic feat by reaching the round of 16 for the first time, thanks to a goal by Stephen Eustaquio in the 90+2nd minute.