In a surprising upset, South Africa pulled off a remarkable 2-0 victory against Morocco in the Round of 16 stage of the Africa Cup of Nations. Despite Morocco’s dominance in possession and a series of missed opportunities, South Africa’s counterattacks proved to be decisive.
Evidence Makgopa scored an excellent goal in the second half, capitalising on a counterattack and avoiding the offside trap. VAR confirmed the goal after a review. Morocco had a chance to level the score when Mothobi Mvala unintentionally handled the ball, leading to a penalty. However, Achraf Hakimi hit the bar from the spot.
The situation worsened for Morocco as Sofyan Amrabat was sent off with a red card for fouling Teboho Mokoena as the last man. Mokoena then sealed the victory for South Africa with a brilliant free-kick.
South Africa’s unexpected triumph sets them up for a quarter-final against Cabo Verde, while Morocco faces disappointment after missing a significant opportunity in the competition.
In another match on the same day, Mali secured their place in the last eight by beating Burkina Faso 2-1. They will face tournament hosts Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals.
