Thembi Kgatlana scored a 92nd-minute winner to seal the African champions’ progression, finishing Jermaine Seoposenwe’s cutback to spark frenzied scenes in the New Zealand capital on Wednesday.
The livewire striker was Banyana Banyana’s stand-in captain and thumping heartbeat all night, willing her nation forward against a side 38 places higher on the FIFA rankings.
Coach Desiree Ellis knew only a win would be enough to get out of their group, but they went behind early to Arianna Caruso’s penalty.
Benedetta Orsi’s shocking own goal put South Africa back on terms and when Hildah Magaia scored a second - assisted by Kgatlana - the African champions had fresh hope.
Caruso, however, doubled up by getting the last touch on a 74th-minute corner kick that levelled the scores at 2-2 and reversed the live ladder, which would have enabled Italy to squeak through to the round of 16.
That was until Kgatlana’s thumping run and finish in injury time that created a slice of history.
Until Wednesday night the South Africans had never won a match at the tournament, let alone qualified for the knockout rounds.
After surviving a scarcely believable 16 minutes of injury time, they claimed their place in the knockout stage to set up a clash with the Netherlands in Sydney on Sunday.
They are the second African nation to progress after Nigeria won through in second place of Group B, behind Australia.
The Italians, quarter-finalists in 2019 after their group defeat of the Matildas, head home after two horrible nights in Wellington.
They were battered 5-0 by Sweden last week but were expected to rebound against the 54th ranked team.
South Africa’s achievement was all the more meritorious given they were without their inspirational captain Refiloe Jane, who was injured in their 2-2 draw with Argentina.
AAP
