Cameroon edge South Africa 2-1 to book AFCON quarterfinal with Morocco

Goals either broadside of half-time by Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane took Cameroon done to the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals astatine South Africa’s expense, arsenic the Indomitable Lions edged their last-16 clash 2-1.

Tchamadeu opened the scoring successful the 34th infinitesimal astatine Al Medina Stadium successful Rabat connected Sunday, and teenage Bayer Leverkusen guardant Kofane headed successful the important 2nd extremity 2 minutes aft half-time.

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A precocious rally from South Africa saw Evidence Makgopa propulsion 1 back, but it is Cameroon who spell through. The five-time champions present play the hosts, Morocco, successful a heavyweight quarterfinal connected Friday.

They tin spell into that lucifer successful a relaxed mood, knowing each the unit is connected Morocco arsenic they look to triumph a archetypal AFCON rubric successful 50 years successful beforehand of their location support.

For Cameroon, reaching the past 8 means their AFCON is already a occurrence aft a chaotic buildup successful which Samuel Eto’o, the shot federation president and Indomitable Lions legend, sacked the coach, Marc Brys, replacing him with David Pagou.

The caller manager got the amended of South Africa’s Hugo Broos, who had promised to amusement nary mercy to Cameroon, 9 years aft starring them to their past continental crown astatine the Cup of Nations successful Gabon.

Bafana Bafana, who finished 3rd astatine the past AFCON 2 years agone successful Ivory Coast, volition beryllium hugely disappointed, but they tin console themselves by turning their attentions towards the upcoming World Cup.

Yet, South Africa had chances to instrumentality an aboriginal lead, with Relebohile Mofokeng squandering a aureate accidental wrong 7 minutes.

Cameroon defender Che Malone failed to woody with a elemental shot forward, to permission Mofokeng successful connected goal, but the Orlando Pirates guardant blazed over.

Lyle Foster past had the shot successful the nett lone to beryllium denied by the offside flag, and instead, Cameroon went successful beforehand conscionable aft the half-hour mark.

When the South African defence could lone partially wide a corner, the shot fell to Carlos Baleba connected the borderline of the area.

He took a interaction and tried a changeable which was deflected into the way of Tchamadeu, and the London-born full-back with Stoke City rolled location from adjacent range.

That extremity – confirmed aft a agelong VAR cheque – was celebrated by the Cameroonian fans, who made up the bulk of the 14,127 crowd, with two-time AFCON victor arsenic a subordinate Eto’o among those successful attendance.

South Africa would person been hoping for a beardown commencement to the 2nd half, but instead, Cameroon scored again wrong 2 minutes of the restart.

Substitute Mahamadou Nagida crossed from the left, and Kofane headed successful his 2nd extremity of the tourney truthful far.

Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy past made bully saves from Samukele Kabini and from a Teboho Mokoena free-kick, earlier Makgopa turned successful a debased transverse by chap substitute Aubrey Modiba connected 88 minutes.

That acceptable up a grandstand finish, but Cameroon nervously held on.

Morocco spot disconnected Tanzania

Earlier connected Sunday, Brahim Diaz scored his 4th extremity for Morocco astatine the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations to enactment the hosts into the quarterfinals with a tense 1-0 Round-of-16 triumph implicit Tanzania successful Rabat.

Morocco dominated possession but ⁠Tanzania had opportunities too, and it took a good onslaught from Diaz to publication a ​place successful the past eight.

Captain Achraf Hakimi fed Diaz connected the close broadside of the container connected 64 minutes and the Real Madrid playmaker worked his mode to the byline, earlier firing into ‍the extremity from ⁠a choky space erstwhile astir expected a cross.

Morocco’s Brahim Diaz celebrates scoring against Tanzania [Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters]

Morocco wasted respective different chances but were besides fortunate that Tanzania were wasteful too, with Simon Msuva and Feisal Salum missing gilt-edged opportunities for the East Africans with the people astatine 0-0.

It was a acold from vintage show from the location side, who person yet to click into apical cogwheel astatine the tourney but did capable to support their run connected track.

“The ​competition is hotting up and we faced our toughest hostile successful ‌this Tanzania team,” Diaz said.

“Not everything worked, we cognize that, but fortunately we managed to unafraid our qualification [to the adjacent round]. Now, we are going backmost to enactment to beryllium afloat acceptable for the quarterfinals.”