Morocco were shockingly eliminated from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations as they lost to South Africa in the Round of 16 on Tuesday night in San Pedro.
The Maghrebian side carried high hopes going into the competition.
This follows their wonderful display in the Qatar 2022 World Cup when they rubbed shoulders with the likes of Belgium, Croatia, Spain, and Portugal.
They ended up being the first African team to reach the semi-final in the history of the global showpiece.
Evidence Makgopa’s goal in the 57th minute put the Bafana Bafana ahead as they stood to their resilience to take the game almost dying embers of the game as Teboho Mokoena scored a great free-kick in stoppage-time after Sofyan Amrabat was sent off.
The Bafana Bafana claimed a 2-0 deserving triumph over the Moroccans to make it to the last eight of the tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.
Morocco’s elimination means all the North African teams are out of the competition. Tunisia and Algeria bowed out after group stages as none of them won a game in the group phase.
Before the Moroccan game with South Africa, Egypt had already already lost to DR Congo on penalties following a 1-1 draw in San Pedro as Morocco also lost at the same venue.
The last time AFCON had quarter finalists without a North African side was 2013 in South Africa.
The continental showpiece returns next year in Morocco as the northern part of Africa will host the tournament.
