South Africa put up arguably their most impressive performance for years to defeat Morocco 2-1 in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying Group K match at the FNB Stadium on Saturday evening.
Though both teams were already qualified for the next Afcon, the match served as a great litmus test of Bafana Bafana’s progress under coach Hugo Broos, and a win over the Atlas Lions – who famously became the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals just a few months ago – suggests that the national team can head to the finals in Cote d’Ivoire next year confident of doing more than merely making up the numbers.
South Africa found themselves 2-0 up thanks to an own goal from Munir Mohamedi and a tap-in from Zakhele Lepasa (early in the first and second half respectively) before Hakim Ziyech pulled one back for Morocco with a superb strike.
The result sees SA rise to the top of the three-team log with seven points, with Morocco on six points and Liberia on one point.
South Africa claimed the lead as early as the fifth minute thanks to a terrible gaffe from Morocco goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi, who somehow allowed Percy Tau’s tame cross from the right flank to bounce out of his hands and skip across the goal line.
The Atlas Lions ‘keeper somewhat redeemed himself in the 12th minute when he made a sharp save to keep out a shot from Themba Zwane, who had managed to sneak into space in the penalty area before meeting Zakhele Lepasa’s cross from the right.
Morocco’s first goal threat arrived in the 16th minute when Youssef Maleh fired a low drive on target from the edge of the box, but Bafana ‘keeper Ronwen Williams made a fine one-handed save to keep his side in the lead.
The North Africans took control of the game in terms of possession, occasionally finding pockets of space out wide to stretch the hosts’ defence, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances for the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En Nesyri.
A TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO BARKER
And Bafana Bafana looked a potent threat on the counter-attack, using the pace of Tau and Thapelo Morena down the right flank, while Zwane and Mihali Mayambela intelligently found space across the rest of the front line.
The first half closed with South Africa 1-0 to the good, though they blew a great chance to add to their lead late on when Lepasa saw his low shot smothered by Munir.
Yet Lepasa did find the back of the net inside three minutes of the second half, tapping home from close range after Munir could only half-stop Mayambela’s shot, to make it 2-0.
Lepasa celebrated with arms outstretched on either side in the ‘airplane’ – a touching tribute to former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker, who passed away last weekend.
Morocco pulled a goal back on the hour mark via Ziyech, who cut inside from the right and was able to thread a perfectly placed shot into the bottom corner of the net to bring the Atlas Lions right back into the contest.
Bafana’s Teboho Mokoena had the chance to kill off the game on 82 minutes when his high-pressing allowed him to steal possession on the edge of Morocco’s box and be faced with only the goalkeeper to beat, but he shot narrowly over the crossbar to let the visitors off the hook.
However, the hosts were able to hold off any hopes of Morocco comeback and secured a deserved triumph.
South Africa’s qualification campaign is complete, while Morocco still have a match against Liberia to fulfill in September.
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