Bafana Bafana's dressing room, which is famous for being full of song, was stunned silent by Stephen Eustáquio's stoppage time winner that saw Canada beat South Africa 1-0 in the World Cup round of 32 on Sunday in Los Angeles.
Teboho Mokoena - who scored the goal which breathed life into Bafana's ailing campaign in their second game, a 1-1 draw with Czechia - revealed that despite the singing that had followed Wednesday's 1-0 win over South Korea in Monterrey, none was present in the dressing room after the Canada defeat.
South Africa had drawn the ire of South Korea by apparently interrupting their mixed zone interviews with trademark songs in Monterrey. Club football matches in South Africa often see players singing along with supporters even when results do not go their way, but there was no song left after their first ever World Cup knockout game ended in defeat.
"It was so quiet in the locker room right now. Everybody said that's how we are feeling right now - we felt we could have done much better and [it is especially painful] especially how we lost the game," Mokoena said in the mixed zone after the loss.
Bafana created few chances despite having 58% of the possession in a performance that had its strong points, but failed to inspire the gwijo-style collective singing that has become synonymous with South African sport, even beyond football.
"So yeah, everyone is sad. I know we could be proud of ourselves for creating that history - but the way we lost- still bittersweet," Mokoena continued.
Bafana began their campaign with a 2-0 loss to Mexico in Mexico City, but Mokoena's 83rd-minute equaliser in Atlanta saw them snatch a 1-1 draw with Czechia from the jaws of defeat. Hugo Broos' side went on to shock South Korea 1-0 courtesy of Thapelo Maseko's winner, but Canada ultimately proved a bridge too far.