Sensational Triumph Sends Fans from Beds to Streets

The South African team, returning to the World Cup after a 16-year absence since hosting the tournament in 2010, surprisingly defeated South Korea 1-0 to secure their progression from the group stage. This seemed unlikely after their 0-2 loss to host nation Mexico in their opening match.

The match concluded around 4:30 AM local time. Immediately afterward, crowds of people, many still in their pajamas, poured into the streets to celebrate. They sang, danced, and blew their long plastic vuvuzelas, instruments well-known from the 2010 World Cup.

Soweto resident Nandi Ntini told AFP that she was awakened by the sounds of vuvuzelas and fireworks. "The celebration lasted for more than an hour after the match ended," she stated.

Fans expressed their pride and support with messages like "We are proud of South Africa, this is our tournament. We started it and we will finish it," posted on the social media channels of national broadcaster SABC. Another fan, draped in national colors, sang in the crowd, urging others to support the Bafana Bafana team.

Video footage showed women dancing in their bathrobes in the streets of Soweto, joining others in singing "Shosholoza," a famous Zulu chant often heard at sporting events in South Africa.

President Cyril Ramaphosa lauded the "inspiring team performance" and, in a social media post, emphasized the nation's unity under the slogan: "One nation - one dream, one goal."