South Africa’s Unforeseen Triumph: The Underdogs Topple Morocco in AFCON 2023
Match statistics
.png) Morocco 0 |
Africa Cup of Nations 2023 Round 16 |
.png) 2 |
|---|
| Evidence Makgopa 57' | ||
| Teboho mokoena 95' | ||
| S. Amrabat 64' 94' | Aubrey Modiba 29' | |
| Grant Kekana 36' |
| 13 | Shots | 5 |
| 2 | Shots on goal | 3 |
| 54% | Possession | 46% |
| 424 | Pass | 387 |
| 87% | Accuracy of Pass | 87% |
| 12 1 |
Fouls Yellow cards |
17 3 |
| 1 | Red cards | 0 |
| 4 | Offside | 4 |
| 6 | Corners | 2 |
The Unexpected Outcome
In a surprising turn of events, South Africa registered a shock 2-0 win over Morocco in the last 16 at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
This victory has set the stage for South Africa to face Cape Verde in the quarter-finals.
Key Moments
Evidence Makgopa put South Africa on their way to the Afcon quarter-finals as the side ranked 66th in the world kept a third successive clean sheet.
Makgopa produced a neat finish to score the opener in the 57th minute, surviving a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check for offside.
Missed Opportunities
Achraf Hakimi missed a late chance to equalise from the penalty spot.
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.
The Final Blow
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.
The Aftermath
The 1996 champions will now aim to improve upon their quarter-final exit on their most recent appearance at the finals in 2019, when they take on the unbeaten Blue Sharks on Saturday (20:00 GMT) for a place in the last four.
Team Line-ups
The line-up for Morocco was Bono; Hakimi, Ageurd, Abdelhamid, Attiat-Allah; Amrabat, Ounahi; Ziyech, Harit, Boufal; En-Nesyri.
However, Hakim Ziyech, who scored Morocco’s opening goal in their final group stage match, was forced off at half-time and was a doubt for the match against South Africa.
Conclusion
This match was a testament to the unpredictability and excitement of football. South Africa's victory over Morocco, a team that looked like the favorite, has undoubtedly made the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations even more thrilling.
Morocco vs South Africa: A Historic Clash in the Africa Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations has been a stage for some of the most thrilling football rivalries.
One such rivalry that stands out is between Morocco and South Africa. This article delves into the head-to-head history records of these two teams.
Historical Overview
The teams of Morocco and South Africa have faced each other in several games up to today.
Among them, Morocco won 2 games, South Africa lost 2, and there was 1 draw.
Performance in Different Competitions
Africa Cup of Nations
In the Africa Cup of Nations, the two teams played a game on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at Stade Laurent Pokou.
The result of this match is not included in this article as the data is up to date only until the match day.
International Matches
In the International Matches, Morocco had a 1-1 draw with Ivory Coast on October 14, 2023, and a 1-0 win against Burkina on September 12, 2023.
On the other hand, South Africa had a 1-1 draw with Ivory Coast on October 17, 2023, and a 0-0 draw with Swaziland on October 13, 2023.
Conclusion
The rivalry between Morocco and South Africa is marked by closely contested matches and a balance of power.
As they face each other again in the Africa Cup of Nations, fans worldwide are eagerly waiting to see which team will come out on top this time.
