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It has been a tournament filled with dramatic highs and lows for the Canadian Men’s National Team as they host the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history.

Canada’s campaign has already included a devastating injury to Ismaël Koné, a stunning hat-trick from Jonathan David, a record-breaking first-ever men’s World Cup win with a 6-0 scoreline, and a historic qualification for the knockout stage.

Jesse Marsch’s squad is now set to make more history by becoming the first World Cup host nation to play an ‘away’ fixture, as they take on South Africa in the Round of 32 at Los Angeles Stadium.

Originally, Canada were expected to face the Korea Republic in Los Angeles, but South Africa’s surprise triumph over the Koreans meant they climbed to second place in Group A, setting up this unexpected matchup.

Although South Africa were not widely predicted to advance beyond the group stage, Marsch made it clear that his team would not underestimate them.

“We’re expecting South Africa to be very intense, to start quickly, and to bring a lot of energy and passion into this match,” Marsch said during his pre-match press conference.

“[South Africa] have shown resilience throughout the tournament and have improved with each game they’ve played.”

The Canadian head coach acknowledged that he anticipates a “physical” contest against Bafana Bafana, something that could test star player Alphonso Davies, who has yet to feature in the tournament due to a hamstring injury.

Marsch had previously suggested that Davies would be available for Canada’s second and third group-stage matches, though he later admitted that statement was part of a tactical ploy to mislead opponents.

After several such updates, Davies could not help but grin when a reporter asked Marsch whether he would start against South Africa. The coach, however, confirmed that his captain was now fully fit and ready to play.

“Now that we have Alphonso back, healthy, and ready to contribute, it’s a huge moment for the team and a major boost for everyone,” Marsch added.