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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tAP Photo\/Marcio Sanchez-THE CANADIAN PRESS\/HO-COC\/Mike Ridewood<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJune 29, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Sharing](\"https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/canadianolympiccommittee\/img\/team-canada-icons\/team-canada-profile-share-red.svg\")
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Long-time followers of Canadian soccer may have noticed something familiar about Stephen Eust\u00e1quio\u2019s incredible winning goal on Sunday.<\/p>\n
In case you somehow missed it, Eust\u00e1quio\u2019s late goal earned Canada a 1-0 win in the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup<\/a>. The team\u2019s already gone further than ever before in the tournament \u2014 and now they\u2019re headed to the Round of 16.<\/p>\n The euphoria of that victory over South Africa surely stirred some nostalgia for Canada supporters. Specifically, Eust\u00e1quio\u2019s goal was remarkably reminiscent of Diana Matheson<\/a>\u2018s tally that won Canada an Olympic bronze medal back at London 2012<\/a>.<\/p>\n READ: 16 fun facts about members of Canada\u2019s FIFA World Cup squad<\/a><\/p>\n Now, fear not, we won\u2019t attempt to evaluate whose goal was \u201cbetter\u201d or \u201cmore important\u201d. Canada\u2019s two national teams are on different trajectories, and always have been.<\/p>\n But we will dive into how Eust\u00e1quio and Matheson managed to craft a pair of yin-and-yang goals that will live forever in Canadian soccer history.<\/p>\n The Where<\/p>\n Matheson: Bronze medal match, London 2012 Olympic Games Both matches represented uncharted territory for our respective senior national teams. The Canadian women\u2019s team had never played for an Olympic medal before London 2012.<\/p>\n The Canadian men\u2019s team had never played in a FIFA World Cup knockout-stage match \u2014 or even won a game \u2014 before the 2026 tournament.<\/p>\n The When<\/p>\n Both Matheson and Eust\u00e1quio: 90\u2032 + 2<\/p>\n Both goals came in the second minute of second-half stoppage time. In both cases, fans had been chewing their fingernails at the prospect of the match moving into extra time or possibly even a penalty shootout.<\/p>\n The What<\/p>\n Both Matheson and Eust\u00e1quio: Goal to win 1-0<\/p>\n As both matches approached the end of the regulation 90 minutes with no score, it seemed like maybe it just wouldn\u2019t be Canada\u2019s day. Both Canadian teams came into their respective matches carrying some heavy emotional baggage from their previous games.<\/p>\n In 2012, the women were coming off the epic semifinal against the United States, which they\u2019d lost at the very end of extra time. In 2026, the men threw everything they had against Switzerland but fell 2-1<\/a>, losing out on the chance to host their Round of 32 match in Vancouver.<\/p>\n But just when it looked like Canada may have nothing left, both Matheson and Eust\u00e1quio emerged as unlikely heroes.<\/p>\n The Who<\/p>\n Both Matheson and Eust\u00e1quio: Playmaking midfielders more likely to set up a goal than score one<\/p>\n Matheson and Eust\u00e1quio are both central midfielders often called upon to take free kicks and corners. They\u2019re also the sort of players who have helped set up Canada\u2019s most prolific scorers, the likes of Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Christine Sinclair<\/a>.<\/p>\n READ: Christine Sinclair bids farewell to Team Canada on home turf<\/a><\/p>\n But find the back of the net themselves? Not often.<\/p>\n Matheson scored 19 goals in 206 appearances for Canada, a rate of 0.09 goals per game. Eust\u00e1quio now has five goals in 60 appearances, a rate of 0.08 GPG. Incredibly similar stuff.<\/p>\n The How<\/p>\n Both Matheson and Eust\u00e1quio: Ball comes up in the air off a defender, put into goal with a low right-footed shot<\/p>\n Sure, the goals weren\u2019t exactly carbon copies of one another. Matheson\u2019s was a bit of right-place-right-time goal poaching, while Eust\u00e1quio had more to do, chesting the ball down and unleashing a volley.<\/p>\n But watching both goals with the benefit of hindsight \u2014 and maybe some video-editing techniques \u2014 you can imagine both Canadian players sauntering into the penalty box, surrounded by heroic halos of light in the space they\u2019ve created, and unleashing a torrent of smiles and rainbows as they celebrate.<\/p>\n Or maybe not. It\u2019s a personal decision, really.<\/p>\n The Why (as in, why it matters)<\/p>\n Matheson: Put team on Canadians\u2019 radar, set the table for Olympic gold & domestic women\u2019s league Matheson\u2019s goal could have gone down as just a nice story from a singular Olympic Games. Instead, the bronze medal propelled the Canadian women to another bronze at Rio 2016<\/a>, followed by Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020<\/a>.<\/p>\n Not only that, but Matheson herself became vital in the creation of a long-awaited professional women\u2019s league<\/a> in Canada, the Northern Super League.<\/p>\n That one goal, and what it helped create, has had a wide-ranging impact on Canadian soccer that will last for generations.<\/p>\n![\"Canada](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CP176543992.jpg\")
Canada\u2019s Stephen Eustaquio (7) celebrates scoring their opening goal against South Africa during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo\/Andre Penner)<\/p>\n
Eust\u00e1quio: Round of 32 match, 2026 FIFA World Cup<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CP26331119.jpg\")
Canada\u2019s Diana Matheson, top center, celebrates after scoring past France goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi, right, and Sonia Bompastor, left, as Kaylyn Kyle, bottom, watches during their bronze medal women\u2019s soccer match at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 in Coventry, England. (AP Photo\/Jon Super)<\/p>\n![\"Canada's](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CP176543984.jpg\")
Canada\u2019s Stephen Eustaquio (7) scores during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between South Africa and Canada in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo\/Manu Fernandez)<\/p>\n![\"Diana](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/matheson.jpg\")
Canada\u2019s Diana Matheson, center, celebrates her goal against France during their bronze medal women\u2019s soccer match at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 in Coventry, England. (AP Photo\/Jon Super)<\/p>\n
Eust\u00e1quio: TBD<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CP176544170.jpg\")
Canadian fans celebrate after Canada\u2019s Stephen Eustaquio scored against South Africa during a World Cup round of 32 soccer match, at FIFA Fan Fest in Vancouver, on Sunday, June 28, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Darryl Dyck<\/p>\n