Which dark horse will go furthest at the World Cup?

In this episode of The Athletic FC Podcast, host Emma Paton is joined by Liam Toomey and Liam Tharm to discuss Canada's first ever knockout stage win at a World Cup, as they beat South Africa 1-0 thanks to Stefan Estakio's last-minute goal. The panel reflects on the significance of this victory for Canadian soccer, highlighting its potential to inspire a younger generation. They also touch on the role of head coach Jesse Marsh, whose motivational speech characterized the team as heroes.

As they look forward to the knockout stage, Paton and the Liams analyze other upcoming matches, including the intriguing Brazil vs. Japan and Netherlands vs. Morocco fixtures. The conversation shifts towards which teams might surprise in the later rounds, identifying Senegal and Ecuador as potential dark horses given their impressive group stage performances. The panel also discusses players to watch, such as Brian Brobby and Ishmael Saibari, and speculates on what the atmosphere might look like in a predicted England vs. Mexico match-up at the Azteca Stadium. The episode concludes with thoughts on the remaining teams and predictions for the quarter-finals, emphasizing the excitement surrounding the ongoing World Cup.