Fans across the country joyfully roared for Canada after it beat South Africa 1-0 in a nail-biting FIFA World Cup knockout stage match in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Canadians at FIFA Fan Festivals in Toronto and Vancouver jumped in the air, danced, waved flags and hollered as Stephen Eustaquio scored in the second minute of stoppage time, leading Canada to its first-ever men's knockout-stage win.
In Montreal, fans watching the game outside cafés and bars clapped and sang “Ole!” as Canadian players celebrated their win on the field.
"It was phenomenal. It was beautiful," said fan David Ayala in Montreal about Eustaquio's winning score.
At the Vancouver festival, Darren Li said he was cheering for Canada with his family.
“The vibe was great," Li said after the game. "I was especially happy when they scored. Everyone was yelling. It was a great time overall."
Cory Symons, who was also in Vancouver, described Sunday's game as intense until the very end.
"We were hoping to get that goal until the very last minute, and finally it came."
Aaron Payne, who watched in Toronto, said he was confident Canada was going to win.
"We knew we had it, it just took a while," he said.
Canada got a boost in the 75th minute when captain Alphonso Davies came on for Tajon Buchanan, marking the first time the Bayern Munich star has played in the tournament.
Canadian Coach Jesse Marsch gathered his players in a huddle after the final whistle and gave a spirited speech.
“You guys are Canadian heroes!" he told them. "Canadian heroes for the future children of this country who play this sport. This sport has a big future because of you guys. You should be so proud of who you are. You should be so proud of this game.”
Canada will next face the winner of a round-of-32 matchup between the Netherlands and Morocco in Houston on July 4.
Many Canadians have supported their team at every step of the tournament so far, packing both BC Place and Toronto Stadium, turning roads into rivers of red-and-white flags and spending hours outside hotels to catch a glimpse of the players.
A fan experience highlight has been Canada's 6-0 rout of Qatar at BC Place on June 18, which followed the country's first World Cup point with a draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the June 12 opener in Toronto.
Michael D’Angelo, in Toronto, danced with the Canadian flag after Sunday's win over South Africa.
"Our win was everything to us tonight," he said. "We had an amazing time. I can't wait for the next match."
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
