COSAFA side Zambia have been eliminated from the 2023 AFCON tournament following a 1-0 defeat by Morocco on Wednesday.
The 2012 CAF Champions came into the match needing just a draw to advance to the knockout stages. But a first half strike by Galatasaray winger Hakim Ziyech gave Morocco their second win of the tournament and a Group F lead.
ZAMBIA ELIMINATED FROM THE 2023 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
Morocco led Group F with seven points while the Democratic Republic of Congo finished second with three points. DRC played to a 0-0 draw with Tanzania in their last match of the group stages also on Wednesday.
Morocco were without coach Walid Regragui who has been given a four-game ban, with two suspended by CAF. This follows a heated exchange at the end of their game against DRC.
But the Morocco Football Federation said they would appeal the decision because Regragui “did not commit any behaviour that violates the spirit of sportsmanship”.
The FIFA World Cup semi-finalists will now take on Bafana Bafana in the last 16 match on Tuesday. South Africa finished second in Group E following a 0-0 draw against Tunisia on Wednesday.
HOW IVORY COAST SNEAKED INTO THE AFCON KNOCKOUT STAGES
Ivory Coast have progressed to the last 16 of the tournament as one of the four best third-placed teams. But the hosts will be without coach Jean-Louis Gasset who was fired on Wednesday. Emerse Fae will now take charge of the team for the remainder of the tournament.
The other nations that are through as the best third-placed nations are Guinea, Namibia and Mauritania.
LAST 16 ROUND FIXTURES:
Saturday, 27 January
Angola v Namibia
19:00
Nigeria v Cameroon
22:00
Sunday, 28 January
Equatorial Guinea v Guinea
19:00
Egypt v Democratic Republic of Congo
22:00
Monday, 29 January
Cape Verde v Mauritania
19:00
Senegal v Ivory Coast
22:00
Tuesday, 30 January
Mali v Burkina Faso
19:00
Morocco v Bafana Bafana
22:00
RELATED STORY: Bafana book AFCON Last 16 spot after goalless draw with Tunisia
