Morocco, on Tuesday night, became the latest giants to be toppled at a shock-filled Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following a 2-0 defeat to South Africa, while Mali also booked a quarter-finals place.
Evidence Makgopa and Teboho Mokoena scored in the second half for Bafana Bafana of South Africa, who once again proved a bogey team for the Atlas Lions of Morocco, whose Achraf Hakimi missed a penalty.
Since becoming the first African side to reach the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar two years ago, Morocco have lost two of 13 matches, and both defeats were inflicted by South Africa.
The shock last 16 result in the muggy Cote d’Ivoire coastal city of San-Pedro came after Mali overcame Burkina Faso 2-1 in Korhogo with Lassine Sinayoko scoring what proved the key goal.
Morocco join defending champions Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso as teams ranked among the top 10 in Africa heading home early.
On Saturday, South Africa will face Cape Verde in Yamoussoukro after hosts Cote d’Ivoire and Mali clash in Bouake.
Cote d’Ivoire knock out Senegal as Cape Verde reach AFCON quarter-finals
In the other quarter-finals, Victor Osimhen-inspired Nigeria face Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo meet Guinea on Friday.
South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and DR Congo are former champions while the other four title contenders are hoping to conquer Africa for the first time.
South Africa had won two and drawn two of five previous AFCON meetings with Morocco from 1998.
And despite being an African powerhouse for decades, Morocco have consistently flopped at AFCON since their lone triumph 48 years ago.
Coach Walid Regragui called the repeated failures an “African curse” and the former national team full-back saw clinical South Africa pull off a deserved victory.
Makgopa stayed just onside to fire Bafana in front on 57 minutes and Morocco squandered a great late chance to equalise when Hakimi fired a penalty against the crossbar and over.
A foul on Mokoena by Manchester United midfielder, Sofyan Amrabat, led to a VAR review that ended with a straight red card as he was the last defender.
Set-piece specialist Mokoena fired the free-kick past Yassine Bounou and high into the net at the near post.
Sinayoko scored his third goal at AFCON as Mali reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 2013 by defeating Burkina Faso 2-1 in Korhogo earlier on Tuesday.
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