South Africa have defied the odds to eliminate Morocco from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The Bafana Bafana Bafana stunned the Atlas Lions with a 2-0 victory to book their ticket in the quarterfinals of the competition.
Against projections, South Africa started the game on the front foot, dominating proceedings and making frantic efforts to take the lead.
It was an engaging encounter with Morocco equally making concerted efforts to race into the front.
Both sides struggle with limited touches inside each other's half. South Africa recorded fewer attempts than the 2022 World Cup semifinalists but were threatening with their quick and pacey offensives.
Morocco had more attempts before the break but struggled to break down South Africa's compact and faultless defense.
At the break, it was still goalless with both sides unable to break the goal deadlock. South Africa continued on their dominant trail in the second half. Seven minutes into the last 45, the Bafana Bafana took the lead. Makgopa scored the opening goal for the South Africans as they edge close to making history against the Atlas Lions.
Trailing by a lone goal, Morocco ramped up their attempt to find an equaliser. Constantly denied by a resilient South African defense, the Atlas Lions finally had a chance to restore parity when they won a spot-kick in the 83rd minute.
Achraf Hakimi stepped up to take the spot-kick. On the crossroads of restoring comeback hopes for the Moroccans, the PSG defender missed the spot-kick to the jubilation of their opponents, who were a few minutes away from booking a place in the quarterfinals of the competition.
It was a nervy final minutes for South Africa as the game entered added time. At the stroke of the final minutes, the Bafana Bafana doubled the lead to drown Morocco's comeback hopes, thanks to a 90+5th-minute goal by Mokena.
It was a game-over for the Moroccans with Mokena's goal. The North Africans settled for a shock 2-0 defeat to the Bafana Bafana to crash out of the competition.
Against projections, South Africa started the game on the front foot, dominating proceedings and making frantic efforts to take the lead.
It was an engaging encounter with Morocco equally making concerted efforts to race into the front.
Both sides struggle with limited touches inside each other's half. South Africa recorded fewer attempts than the 2022 World Cup semifinalists but were threatening with their quick and pacey offensives.
Morocco had more attempts before the break but struggled to break down South Africa's compact and faultless defense.
At the break, it was still goalless with both sides unable to break the goal deadlock. South Africa continued on their dominant trail in the second half. Seven minutes into the last 45, the Bafana Bafana took the lead. Makgopa scored the opening goal for the South Africans as they edge close to making history against the Atlas Lions.
Trailing by a lone goal, Morocco ramped up their attempt to find an equaliser. Constantly denied by a resilient South African defense, the Atlas Lions finally had a chance to restore parity when they won a spot-kick in the 83rd minute.
Achraf Hakimi stepped up to take the spot-kick. On the crossroads of restoring comeback hopes for the Moroccans, the PSG defender missed the spot-kick to the jubilation of their opponents, who were a few minutes away from booking a place in the quarterfinals of the competition.
It was a nervy final minutes for South Africa as the game entered added time. At the stroke of the final minutes, the Bafana Bafana doubled the lead to drown Morocco's comeback hopes, thanks to a 90+5th-minute goal by Mokena.
It was a game-over for the Moroccans with Mokena's goal. The North Africans settled for a shock 2-0 defeat to the Bafana Bafana to crash out of the competition.