Another tournament favorite in the AFCON Morocco has been knocked out after 2-0 defeat in the hands of South Africa. Evidence Makgopa and Teboho Makoena got the all important goals to set up a quarter final tie against Cape Verde.
Evidence Makgopa produced a neat finish to score the opener in the 57th minute, surviving a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check for offside and putting Bafana Bafana on their way to a surprise victory over the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists.
Hakimi was afforded a golden opportunity to level when Mothobi Mvala was adjudged to have handled Ayoub El Kaabi’s shot, only to fire his 85th minute spot-kick against the crossbar.
Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was dismissed in stoppage time before Teboho Mokoena curled a classy free-kick past Bono to confirm the upset in style.
South Africa was the only side that has beaten Morocco after the World cup heroics where they reached the semifinals.
The elimination means the two hot favorites The Atlas Lions and Senegal are now out of the tournament.
Morocco are Africa’s top-ranked side but will have to wait until they host the 2025 edition of Afcon to end their long wait for a second continental title, which stretches all the way back to 1976.