SOUTH AFRICA DUMPS FAVOURITES MOROCCO OUT OF AFCON
It took a comprehensive tactical defensive discipline for South Africa, the only side with the least number of local players in its squad at AFCON to upset hot favourites Morocco 2-0 in San Pedro-Ivory Coast and qualified to the 1/4 finals gracefully.
Meanwhile, Bafana-Bafana have booked a quarterfinal ticket against Cape Verde in what .any soccer pundits have predicted to be another mouth watering fixture on the 3rd February 2024.
Since, South Africa lost to Mali 0-2 at the group phase, Morocco were unblemished, as such they were odds-on favourites to get rid of Bafana-Bafana and continue with their mission of seeking glory at this year’s AFCON.
True to pre-match predictions, Morocco stepped on the gas from the word Go! attacking from the flanks, especially on the left where they delivered dangerous cuts into the box but the goalkeeper and captain, Ronwen Williams and a brave 4-man defence shield comprising Aubrey Modiba, Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana (all 3 got cautioned in battle) and Khuliso Mudau dug in deep to frustrate all opposition efforts.
The first half ended with the burren deadlocked and thereafter Morocco continued threatening but without any breakthrough until the 57th minute when South Africa took the lead when Themba Zwane located gangling Evidence Makgopa on the left edge of the box who outpaced a defender shadowing him to shoot a low drive to beat Yassine Bounou, the 2022 World Cup semi final hero in Qatar.
The succeeding 33 minutes were real HELL on earth for South Africa. Achraf Hakimi could have drawn his team level at the peak of the bombardment when he clipped the cross bar, missing a spot kick after a VAR check confirmed a hand ball infringement.
Then on 90+2 minutes Amrabat’s second yellow card was upgraded to straight red for a foul on Mokoena near the left edge of the penalty box with the resultant free kick which Theboho Mokoena curled high into the upright shuttering all the dreams and ambitions for the Lions of Carthage of progressing to become one of the best eight African teams.
In their last seven (7) matches against North African teams at AFCON, this was South Bafana-Bafana’s sixth win.
OFFICIAL: Matches and date of the quarter-finals in the 2023 African Cup of Nations:
Nigeria Vs Angola
• February 2
• 5:00 pm
DR Congo Vs Guinea
• February 2
• 8:00 pm
Ivory Coast Vs Mali
• February 3
• 5:00 pm
Cabo Verde Vs South Africa
February 3
• 8:00 pm
Via: draxyworldsprtsegency
