Bafana Bafana Reach AFCON Knockouts After Five-Goal Epic
South Africa secured their place in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) knockout stages ON Monday, 29 December, following a breathless 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe in Marrakesh, Morocco.
The result sees Bafana Bafana finish second in Group B, behind Egypt, while their neighbours suffer another early exit.
The match was a chaotic affair, featuring a spectacular solo effort from Zimbabwe’s Tawanda Maswanhise and a fortuitous own goal by Aubrey Modiba. However, Lyle Foster and Tshepang Moremi capitalised on defensive lapses to keep South Africa competitive.
The contest was finally settled in the 82nd minute when Oswin Appollis converted a clinical penalty after a handball.
Despite the progression, coach Hugo Broos remained critical of his side’s game management. Highlighting a loss of composure, Broos noted: “We can’t keep the ball anymore; we start again to play centrally, losing the ball and giving the opportunity to Zimbabwe to play in transition.”
While the victory provides a psychological lift, the defensive fragility displayed will be a concern for the upcoming round. South Africa are now set to travel to Rabat for a daunting last-16 clash against the runners-up of Group F this Sunday, 4 January.
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