South Africa Eliminates Morocco To Advance To Quarter-Finals
South Africa shocks the most ranked African Country Morocco 2-0 to set up a quarter-final against Cape Verde at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.
Achraf Hakimi missed a late chance to equalize from the penalty spot as 10-man Morocco was knocked out of the tournament.
Evidence Makgopa produced a neat finish to score the opener in the 57th minute, surviving a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check for offside and putting Bafana Bafana on their way to a surprise victory over the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists.
Hakimi was afforded a golden opportunity to level when Mothobi Mvala was adjudged to have handled Ayoub El Kaabi’s shot, only to fire his 85th minute spot-kick against the crossbar.
Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was dismissed in stoppage time before Teboho Mokoena curled a classy free-kick past Bono to confirm the upset in style.
The 1996 champions will now aim to improve upon their quarter-final exit on their most recent appearance at the finals in 2019, when they take on the unbeaten Blue Sharks on Saturday (20:00 GMT) for a place in the last four.
Morocco will have to wait until they host the 2025 edition of Afcon to end their long wait for a second continental title, which stretches all the way back to 1976.
Amine Adli and Selim Amallah sent excellent chances wide after breaking free inside the box as Morocco’s accuracy deserted them during the first half, while South Africa centre-back Mvala intervened twice during the early stages to stop fierce shots from Hakimi and Adli.
Having dealt with a succession of dangerous deliveries during the opening 15 minutes, the underdogs threatened for the first time when Bono descended quickly to turn Mokoena’s awkward strike from distance behind.
The effort proved the only attempt on target of the first period, but Morocco should have gone ahead shortly after the restart when Azzedine Ounahi won possession just inside South Africa territory, surged into the penalty area and lofted the ball over the crossbar following a swift one-two with Youssef En-Nesyri.
Makgopa soon punished that profligacy, controlling Themba Zwane’s first-time pass to tee himself up inside the penalty area and slot beyond Bono from a tight angle for his first international goal in more than two years.
The forward for South African top-flight club Orlando Pirates looked to have been perilously close to an offside position, but Ismail waved play on following another quick VAR check.
Evidence Makgopa put South Africa on their way to the Afcon quarter-finals as the side ranked 66th in the world kept a third successive clean sheet.
Morocco manager Walid Regragui had reacted immediately by sending on Ismael Saibari and Amine Harit for Amallah and Adli, yet his players found themselves struggling to unduly trouble compact opponents in determined defensive mood.
Salvation looked to have arrived for the Atlas Lions when El Kaabi’s shot hit Mvala on the arm and the spot-kick was awarded following a pitchside monitor check by Ismail, only for Hakimi to smack his effort against the top of the bar and over.
Mokoena then put the contest beyond doubt by curling in beautifully for South Africa’s second, continuing a memorable campaign for Hugo Broos’ side which has already included their largest ever Afcon win.
Their path to a potential semi-final against Nigeria or Angola is likely to test their defensive resolve again, pitting them against a Cape Verde team who scored seven times in the group stage before beating Mauritania 1-0 in their last-16 match on Monday.
BBC/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma
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