{"id":523856,"date":"2026-06-29T08:43:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T08:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/523856\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T08:43:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T08:43:10","slug":"world-cup-2026-o-canada-your-pure-piggery-would-have-made-kieran-mcgeeney-proud-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/523856\/","title":{"rendered":"World Cup 2026: O Canada, your pure piggery would have made Kieran McGeeney proud \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cA pig of a game,\u201d said Richie Sadlier in a blunt, but not unfair, assessment of Sunday night\u2019s match between co-hosts Canada<\/a> and South Africa<\/a> in LA that had echoes of Kieran McGeeney about it<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The opening game in the Round of 32 was hardly an endorsement of the World Cup<\/a>\u2019s new enlarged format, but the upside is that it\u2019s hard to imagine how any of the remaining games in the tournament could be worse.<\/p>\n

With both countries appearing in their first World Cup knockout game, they looked like they were going to knock the most out of the occasion by sending the match to extra time. Thankfully, Stephen Eust\u00e1quio \u2013 in familiar surrounds having spent the last season on loan at Los Angeles FC from Porto \u2013 spared us, sealing the win for Canada with a goal two minutes into second-half stoppage time.<\/p>\n

Canada had looked the most like scoring, particularly once captain Alphonso Davies was introduced on 75 minutes, but both sides showed a lack of quality that will leave Canada\u2019s Round-of-16 opponents feeling confident of a place in the last eight. The winner of tonight\u2019s game between the Netherlands and Morocco will face the Canadians in Houston on Saturday, and while they mightn\u2019t pay Les Rouges the disrespect of making plans for the quarter-finals just yet, you\u2019d doubt they\u2019ll be keeping an eye out for flights home on Sunday.<\/p>\n

The game was plagued by sloppiness, to the point that it seemed like players were actively trying to pass to their opponents. South Africa were particularly guilty of coughing up possession, while Canada had goal chances but were let down by their execution.<\/p>\n

James McClean, alongside Sadlier on punditry for RT\u00c9, described it as \u201clike watching the Chuckle Brothers\u201d, and when asked to pick out passages of poor play from the first half suggested showing the entire opening 45 minutes. \u201cPlease don\u2019t, once was enough,\u201d viewers thought in unison.<\/p>\n

Things improved somewhat after the break as both sides went in search of a winner. It looked to have arrived for Canada on 65 minutes when Tani Oluwaseyi had a run in on goal but drew a great save from Ronwen Williams. The rebounding ball was on a path to present Jonathan David with a nailed-on score were it not for a stellar clearance from defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 0-0 \ud83c\uddff\ud83c\udde6<\/p>\n

Game of football threatening to break out here and Mbekezeli Mbokazi rescues South Africa after Tani Oluwaseyi has a shot half blocked<\/p>\n

Watch all 104 games from the #FIFAWorldCup<\/a> on RT\u00c9 pic.twitter.com\/5aDajGzacI<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 RT\u00c9 Sport (@RTEsport) June 28, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

For their part, the South Africans managed a handful of shots, but most were sent sailing over the crossbar as if they were practising drop goals for the Springboks.<\/p>\n

But a score three minutes from the full-time whistle is a cruel way to be knocked out of a World Cup. So, in spite of their performance on the night, South Africa deserve a hat tip for getting that far when so many others (ahem) did not.<\/p>\n

Results: <\/p>\n

Round of 32 \u2013 South Africa 0 Canada 1 (Eust\u00e1quio 90+2)<\/p>\n

Goal of the day: Some stiff competition here. Yes, the goal of the day must go to the only goal of the day. But to give Stephen Eust\u00e1quio his dues, it was a pretty nice slot home. Jacob Shaffelburg floated the ball towards the box where the South African defender tended to the immediate danger with a headed clearance. But the in-trotting Eust\u00e1quio took the ball on the chest, controlling it nicely to send his shot in long and low from the edge of the area to find the bottom-left corner unimpeded.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 1-0 \ud83c\uddff\ud83c\udde6<\/p>\n

CANADA HAVE ALMOST CERTAINLY WON IT AT THE DEATH (and saved us all from extra-time).<\/p>\n

Captain Stephen Eustaquio with a fine finish from the edge of the area<\/p>\n

Watch all 104 games from the #FIFAWorldCup<\/a> on RT\u00c9 pic.twitter.com\/hctuHsPeym<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 RT\u00c9 Sport (@RTEsport) June 28, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Moment of the day: The result was Canada\u2019s first win in a World Cup knockout fixture. Head coach Jesse Marsch marked the occasion by gathering his squad in a huddle on the pitch, where TV cameras picked up his spirited team talk, describing his players as \u201cCanadian heroes\u201d. Yes, parts waded towards cringey waters, but let them have their inspirational sports movie-esque moment.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f Jesse Marsch delivered a beautiful speech to the Canadian team after our historic win against South Africa: <\/p>\n

\u201cYou are Canadian Heroes\u2026..\u201d \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 #FIFAWorldCup<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ZvzL5G26b9<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Klay \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 (@UtdKlay) June 28, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Picture of the day: Canada were probably right to feel aggrieved when referee Jo\u00e3o Pinheiro said play on after Richie Laryea had a coming together with South Africa\u2019s Thapelo Maseko in the box. When the half-time whistle blew moments later, Marsch made a beeline for Pinheiro, but was stopped on the way by Moise Bombito, who set his gaffer straight. Perhaps worth noting that Marsch is American. A mild-mannered Canadian would never.<\/p>\n

\"CanadaCanada head coach Jesse Marsch speaks with Moise Bombito after the half-time whistle. Photograph: Etienne Laurent\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n

Question of the day: The venue for last night\u2019s game \u2013 SoFi Stadium (or, as Fifa would like us to call it, Los Angeles Stadium) \u2013 is the home of which two NFL teams? (Answer below) <\/p>\n

Coming up today: <\/p>\n

Round of 32 \u2013 Brazil v Japan (6pm Irish time, RT\u00c92 & UTV)<\/p>\n

Round of 32 \u2013 Germany v Paraguay (9.30pm, RT\u00c92 & UTV)<\/p>\n

Round of 32 \u2013 Netherlands v Morocco (2am, RT\u00c92 & UTV)<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in sport: Ahead of Ireland\u2019s opening Nations Championship game against Australia on Saturday, Gerry Thornley chatted to James Ryan, who\u2019s relishing a return down under<\/a>, and Paul O\u2019Connell, who says he\u2019d happily stick with the Irish set-up<\/a> alongside Andy Farrell if they\u2019ll have him.<\/p>\n

In GAA, Malachy Clerkin brings us up to date after the All-Ireland SFC has been narrowed down to four counties<\/a>, while Paul Fitzpatrick takes a closer look at the weekend\u2019s quarter-finals<\/a>. And in golf, Denis Walsh asks whether Shane Lowry wants it too much<\/a> after a series of painful near-misses.<\/p>\n

Answer to question: The Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers.<\/p>\n