San Pedro, (CIV): South Africa upset the favourites Morocco 2-0 in the last 16 of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro, Ivory Coast.
Evidence Makgopa opened the scoring in the 57th minute and Teboho Mokoena sealed the tie with a superb free kick in injury time in a match played at Stade Laurent Pokou in San-Pedro.
Achraf Hakimi missed a penalty kick in the 84th minute, and damage was done later when Sofyan Amrabat got a straight red card in the 91st minute.
South Africa then doubled their lead a minute later from the resulting freekick when Teboho Mokoena curled in the freekick past Yassine Bounou to confirm their place in the Nations Cup’s last 8.
Despite being favorites to not only win today’s clash but the tournament itself, the Atlas Lions were unable to put the ball in the net against Hugo Broos’ South African team whose tactics appeared to have worked from the onset as their North African opponents from getting closer to their 18-yard box.
South Africa will lock horns with Cape Verde at the tournament’s quarterfinals next Saturday.
In other matches of the quarter-finals, Nigeria take on Angola and DR Congo face Guinea on Friday, while Mali will entertain hosts Cote d’Ivoire in the other fixture on Saturday.
See below for the full draw and path to the AFCON final.
How both teams lined up
Morocco: Yassine Bounou, Noussair Mazroaui (Yahia Attiat Allah 75), Nayef Aguerd, Achraf Hakimi, Romain Saiss, Azzeddine Ounahi, Selim Amallah (Amine Harit 60), Sofyan Amrabat, Abde Ezzalzouli (Ayoub El Kaabi 68), Youssef En Nesyri, Amine Adli (Ismael Saibari 61)
South Africa: Ronwen Williams, Aubrey Modiba, Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana, Khuliso Mudau, Thapelo Morena, Sphephelo Sithole, Teboho Mokoena, Evidence Makgopa (Zakhele Lepasa 71), Percy Tau, Themba Zwane (Thapelo Maseko 69)
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