Match reports and free highlights from Tuesday's Africa Cup of Nations action as South Africa knock out one of the tournament favourites Morocco, and Mali beat Burkina Faso to take their place in the quarter-finals
Tuesday 30 January 2024 23:49, UK
South Africa caused an upset by beating 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco as Mali proved too good for Burkina Faso to set up a clash with hosts Ivory Coast in the last eight of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Achraf Hakimi missed a late penalty as Morocco became the latest big name to be knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations with a 2-0 loss to South Africa in the round of 16.
Evidence Makgopa's 57th-minute strike and a free-kick from Teboho Mokoena in the fifth minute of stoppage time sent the Bafana Bafana through to the quarter-finals at Morocco's expense.
South Africa will next play Cape Verde in Yamoussoukro on Saturday.
World Cup semi-finalists Morocco responded with increased pressure to Makgopa's opener but had to wait till the 82nd minute for Mothobi Mvala to be penalised for blocking Ayoub El Kaabi's shot with his arm.
But Hakimi grazed the top of the crossbar with the resulting spot-kick.
The Atlas Lions' task was further complicated when midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was sent off in injury time, and Mokoena sealed their fate a minute later when he fired inside the top left corner.
Morocco follow defending champions Senegal, seven-time champions Egypt, five-time winners Cameroon, four-time champions Ghana, along with Algeria and Tunisia to be knocked out ahead of the quarter-final stage.
Mali held on to beat Burkina Faso 2-1 to set up a quarter-final match against tournament hosts Ivory Coast.
An own goal from Edmond Tapsoba and second-half strike from Lassine Sinayoko were enough for the Eagles to win the round-of-16 game, the last match of the tournament to be played in Korhogo.
Mali will next play Ivory Coast in Bouak on Saturday, when the home team can count on supporters whose belief has been restored after beating defending champion Senegal on Monday.
Burkina Faso, who have repeatedly gone close to winning their first Africa Cup title in recent years, will have to prolong their wait after a campaign that never really sparked into life. The Stallions edged Mauritania 1-0, then drew 2-2 with Algeria, before losing their final group game 2-0 to Angola.
It was a bad start for Burkina Faso when Mali's Amadou Haidara hit the post with a header and the ball rebounded off Tapsoba's foot into his own net in the third minute.
Mali missed good chances to score before Sinayoko made it 2-0 by shooting between the goalkeeper's legs in the 47th minute.
The Stallions were given a lifeline six minutes later when Kiki Kouyat was penalised for handball. Bertrand Traore scored from the spot to make it 2-1 in the 57th minute, finally giving his team the confidence to push for more.
Issoufou Dayo thought he'd equalized in the last minute but he had strayed offside before heading in a free-kick.
