In a surprising turn of events, South Africa managed to defeat Morocco with a 2-0 victory in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, causing a major upset for the World Cup semi-finalists.

South Africa’s players were in jubilant celebration after securing a stunning upset victory over 10-man Morocco in the Round of 16 stage of the Africa Cup of Nations. Bafana Bafana produced a smash-and-grab performance in San Pedro, defeating the top-ranked nation 2-0.

The match saw excellent second-half goals from Evidence Makgopa and Teboho Mokoena, which sealed the famous victory for South Africa. Despite Morocco dominating possession and creating numerous chances, it was South Africa’s threat on the counter that proved decisive.

Makgopa opened the scoring with a well-taken finish, which was allowed to stand after a VAR review. Morocco had a chance to level the score late in the game when they were awarded a penalty due to an unintentional handball by Mothobi Mvala. However, Achraf Hakimi hit the bar from the spot, compounding Morocco’s woes. Their situation worsened when Sofyan Amrabat was sent off for a foul on Mokoena as the last man, with the red card decision upheld after a VAR review. Mokoena then sealed the win for South Africa with a brilliant free-kick.

South Africa will now face Cape Verde in the quarter-finals, while Morocco will be left to reflect on a missed opportunity to win the tournament. In another match, Mali secured their place in the last eight by defeating Burkina Faso 2-1.

The loss will prompt a post-mortem for Morocco, who will be left wondering what went wrong. Missing a penalty, having a player sent off, and failing to convert chances all contributed to their downfall. However, there were signs of a lackluster performance from Morocco in the first half, and their late surge was too little, too late.

Teboho Mokoena was named the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance. He not only scored the winning goal but also provided a constant outlet for his team throughout the game.

Player ratings for the match saw high marks for South Africa’s players, including Mokoena, Makgopa, and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. Morocco’s players, on the other hand, received mixed ratings, with Hakimi and Amrabat among those who struggled.

The match highlights included Makgopa’s opening goal, the controversial penalty decision, Hakimi’s missed penalty, Amrabat’s red card, and Mokoena’s stunning free-kick goal.

South Africa’s victory sets up an intriguing quarter-final clash with Cape Verde, while Morocco will be left to ponder their missed opportunity. South Africa’s progress to the quarter-finals marks their best performance in the Africa Cup of Nations in 24 years.