South Africa Stun Morocco in AFCON 2023 Round of 16

In a stunning turn of events at the African Cup of Nations 2024, South Africa caused a major upset by defeating Morocco 2-0 in the Round of 16 on Tuesday. The Bafana Bafana secured victory with late goals from Evidence Makgopa and Teboho Mokoena, surprising many who had considered Morocco a tournament favorite.

Despite Morocco's dominance in possession and chances, they were thwarted by a resilient South African defense. Morocco, topping their group with three wins and no goals conceded, had a disallowed goal for offside in the first half and hit the post twice in the second half.

South Africa, entering as one of the best third-placed teams, displayed determination and discipline. Evidence Makgopa broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, capitalizing on a pass from Zwane. Teboho Mokoena sealed the victory in the 95th minute with a free kick, earned after a foul by midfielder Amrabat.

The result reverberated across the continent, marking Morocco as the second major casualty after Senegal's elimination by Guinea. Anticipation for a final clash between Morocco and Nigeria, the standout teams in the group stage, was dashed by South Africa. Now, they advance to the quarterfinals, set to face either Algeria or Ghana.

This historic win for South Africa marked their first triumph over Morocco in the AFCON, breaking a streak of three draws and one loss in previous encounters. For Morocco, the disappointment persists as they fell short of reaching the semi-finals for the third consecutive time. The Atlas Lions, who haven't won the AFCON since 1976, must wait another two years for a chance to end their title drought.