Hosts Morocco reach Afcon quarter-finals as Cameroon knock out South Africa

RABAT – A Brahim Diaz goal booked Morocco an Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) quarter-final date against Cameroon, despite coach Walid Regragui admitting that “we only started playing in the second half” against Tanzania on Jan 4.

Real Madrid winger Diaz scored once in each of Morocco’s three group matches at the tournament and maintained his goal-a-game record with the 64th-minute strike that sealed a 1-0 victory at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat.

He is the first Moroccan player to find the net in four consecutive Afcon matches and his celebrations included holding up a shirt belonging to injured midfielder Azzedine Ounahi.

Diaz later dedicated the last-16 victory to his teammate, who arrived at the stadium using crutches and has been ruled out of the rest of the competition with a calf injury.

The goal came after Morocco squandered numerous chances while stretching their unbeaten run to 23 matches – their last loss was to South Africa at the 2023 Afcon in the round of 16.

“Not everything worked, we know that, but fortunately we managed to secure our qualification. Now, we are going back to work to be fully ready for the quarter-finals,” Diaz said.

Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, the African Player of the Year, set up the winning goal as he made his first start in the tournament having recovered from an ankle injury.

World No. 11 Morocco were favourites for several reasons, including home advantage, the backing of almost 70,000 supporters, and lying 101 places above Tanzania in the world rankings.

The pressure from the hosts mounted in the second half and Hakimi rifled a free kick against the crossbar before the goal finally arrived.

Hakimi teed up Diaz, who beat goalkeeper Hussein Masaranga at his near post with an angled shot from close range.

“The reading of the game is simple: we only started playing in the second half but we hands down deserved to go through,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui.

It was a valiant effort from Tanzania in their first-ever appearance in the knockout stages, but the 2027 co-hosts head home having still never won a game at the tournament in 13 attempts.

“I am so proud of what my team produced,” said Tanzania’s Argentinian coach Miguel Angel Gamondi.

“They showed that the gap between Morocco and us is not as big as people think. We will come back stronger, I am convinced of that.”

Morocco will now face Cameroon on Jan 9, after the Indomitable Lions got the better of South Africa 2-1 at the Stade Al Medina across Rabat in the late game on Jan 4.

Goals either side of half-time by Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane made the difference for Cameroon against a South Africa team coached by Hugo Broos, the Belgian who led the Indomitable Lions to their most recent continental title in Gabon in 2017.

A late rally from South Africa saw Evidence Makgopa pull one back on 88 minutes, but Cameroon nervously held on.

Cameroon, the five-time continental champions, can now go into their quarter-final showdown with Morocco in a relaxed mood, knowing the pressure is on the host country.

“I want to savour this victory first of all. The game against Morocco is still a long way away,” said Cameroon coach David Pagou, who took over the team only days before the tournament began.

“We suffered today even though we won, and I think we all need a rest.”

Meanwhile, there is major disappointment for Bafana Bafana, who finished third at the 2023 Afcon, but they can console themselves by turning their attentions towards the 2026 World Cup.

“We are not going backwards but we do have to make a good evaluation of what happened here at this tournament as we look forward to the World Cup,” said Broos. AFP, REUTERS