Football – Cameroon scored a goal in either half to see off South Africa 2-1 in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations finals yesterday and set up a quarter-final clash with hosts Morocco.
Five-time winners Cameroon proved too strong at the Stade El Barida as they kept on course for Cup of Nations success to make up for their failure to qualify for this year’s World Cup in North America.
Goals from Junior Tchamadeu and teenage striker Christian Kofane ensured a significant victory for the Indomitable Lions although they had to fight off a late comeback as South Africa pulled one back through substitute Evidence Makgopa with two minutes to play.
Earlier yesterday, Morocco booked their berth in the last eight with a 1-0 win over Tanzania, also in Rabat.
South Africa had a bright start and two good chances to take an early lead with Lyle Foster heading wide from a second-minute freekick and Relebogile Mofokeng breaking free after some horror defending from Che Malone but then putting his effort over the top with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Cameroon took control of the game thereafter with Bryan Mbeumo showing impressive industry as he continually switched flanks and probed at the opposing defence.
But it was fullback Tchamadeu who made the breakthrough in the 34th minute as Carlos Baleba’s shot from the edge of the area, after South Africa had cleared a corner, rebounded off a defender to Tchamadeu in space on the left and he had an easy finish.
The 19-year-old Kofane put Cameroon further ahead two minutes into the second half as he headed home unmarked at the back post for a second goal in successive matches at the tournament.
South Africa looked to get themselves back into the contest with left back Samkelo Kabini having an effort cleared off the line on the hour mark and Teboho Mokoena’s free kick turned around the corner by Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy.
At the other end, a swift Cameroon counter-attack with 20 minutes left could have seen them score again but South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams made a vital interception to deny Arthur Avom.
South Africa laid siege to the Cameroon goal in the closing stages and substitute striker Makgopa bundled the ball over for a late consolation.
l Brahim Diaz scored his fourth goal for Morocco to put the hosts into the quarter-finals with a nervous 1-0 Round-of-16 victory over Tanzania.
Morocco dominated possession but Tanzania had opportunities too, and it took a fine strike from Diaz to book a place in the last eight.
Captain Achraf Hakimi fed Diaz on the right side of the box on 64 minutes and the Real Madrid playmaker worked his way to the byline, before firing into the goal from a tight angle when most expected a cross.
Morocco wasted several other chances but were also fortunate that Tanzania were wasteful too, with Simon Msuva and Feisal Salum missing gilt-edged opportunities for the East Africans with the score at 0-0. It was a far from vintage performance from the home side, who have yet to click into top gear at the tournament but did enough to keep their campaign on track.
Tanzania had an early opportunity when Msuva had an open goal to head into, but he could only steer his effort well wide. Morocco had the ball in the back of the net from Ismael Saibari’s header from a free kick but he was narrowly offside.
Ayoub El Kaabi then headed wide for the home side when he should have done better, and followed that up with another missed opportunity from Hakimi’s delightful cross.
Tanzania should have been ahead on 55 minutes as home goalkeeper Yassine Bounou could only parry a long-range shot and the ball fell to Salum, who blasted over the crossbar from 10 metres with the goal gaping.
Hakimi then crashed a free kick against the frame of the goal, before Morocco finally scored to settle the nerves in the Stade Moulay Abdellah.
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