Bafana Bafana put on a spirited performance to beat Morocco 2-0 and secure a quarterfinal place in the 2023 AFCON at the Stade Lorent Pokou in San Pedro on Tuesday night.
19078 people, dominantly Moroccan fans, attended the match.
In the opening half, Morocco had a slight edge over Bafana Bafana, creating more scoring opportunities. They enjoyed more possession, but the North Africans were unable to capitalise.
The two teams went to the break level. Evidence Makgopa got the opener in the 57th minute after a through pass by Themba Zwane. It was his first of the tournament.
The Atlas Lions started pushing in search of an equaliser, but they struggled to breach the South African defence marshalled by Mothobi Mvala and Grant Kekana.
SA Stun Morocco, Advance to AFCON Quarters
In the 68th minute, SA mentor Hugo Broos brought on Thapelo Maseko for Themba Zwane.
The Atlas Lions kept pouring forward, desperately searching for an equaliser. SA’s goal scorer, Makgopa, was pulled out and was replaced by his Orlando Pirates teammate Zakhele Lepasa.
Until that point, SA were disciplined defensively. With just five minutes before full-time, Mvala was adjudged to have handled in the box after a VAR check. Achraf Hakimi stepped up to take the penalty, and he blasted the spot-kick over the bar.
Things turned emotional in the stands as Moroccan journalists started attacking members of the South African technical team who sat on the other side of the Media Tribune.
Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was red-carded just a minute into added time after a foul on Maseko. From the resultant free-kick, Teboho Mokoena scored the second for SA.
As the opponents chased the game, SA kept their cool at the back and managed the game well against 10-man Morocco. They kept their third clean sheet of the competition after a well-fought battle.
Hugo Broos’ troops will now face Cape Verde in the quarterfinal of the competition in Yamoussoukro.
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