Oswin Appollis (R) celebrates scoring to provide South Africa victory over Zimbabwe in Marrakesh. Photograph: AFP
MARRAKESH, MOROCCO,:
Oswin Appollis transformed a late penalty to provide South Africa a 3-2 Africa Cup of Nations victory over Zimbabwe in Marrakesh on Monday, and qualification for the knockout stage.
Bafana Bafana should wait till Wednesday to know who they may face on Sunday within the spherical of 16. It’s prone to be both defending champions Ivory Coast or five-time winners Cameroon.
Egypt, who rested stars like captain Mohamed Salah with first place already assured, topped Group B with seven factors after a 0-0 draw in opposition to Angola in Agadir.
South Africa completed with six factors, Angola two and Zimbabwe one. Angola may squeeze into the knockout stage as the most effective 4 third-placed groups.
“As soon as once more we fell asleep after a great begin. We constantly misplaced possession,” mentioned 73-year-old South Africa coach Hugo Broos. The Belgian tactician guided Cameroon to the 2017 AFCON title.
“Our passing was dangerous at occasions and we should always have focused on retaining possession within the closing minutes as a substitute of looking for a fourth objective. We have now to work on controlling video games.”
In Marrakesh, Confederation of African Soccer (CAF) president, South African Patrice Motsepe, was amongst a small however boisterous crowd that noticed Bafana Bafana set up an early foothold.
Zimbabwe goalkeeper Washington Arubi reacted late to a low sixth-minute shot from Appollis and grasped the ball simply earlier than it crossed the road.
A minute later and South Africa have been forward because of rising star Tshepang Moremi within the conflict of southern Africa neighbours.
The ball was performed throughout the pitch simply outdoors the field to Moremi. He unleashed a goal-bound shot that took a deflection off Divine Lunga and looped over 40-year-old Arubi into the online.
Falling behind motivated Zimbabwe and so they deservedly levelled on 19 minutes because of the person brilliance of Tawanda Maswanhise from Scottish Premiership membership Motherwell.
Frustrations
Maswanhise gained possession contained in the South African half, dribbled previous two opponents and fired the ball broad of captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams into the far nook.
The equaliser rattled South Africa. Bronze medallists on the 2024 AFCON, they have been lucky to not fall behind because the match reached the half-hour mark.
A Zimbabwe free-kick was floated into the goalmouth and unmarked Munashe Garananga ought to have executed higher than head over from shut vary.
South African frustrations at being unable to dominate flared simply earlier than half-time. Already-cautioned Sipho Mbule argued with the Moroccan referee, risking one other yellow card and a purple.
As was the case within the first half, South Africa started the second interval aggressively. They regained the lead on 50 minutes by Burnley striker Lyle Foster.
The Premier League participant raced after a headed again cross to slow-reacting Arubi, then outjumped the veteran goalkeeper to nod the ball into the online.
It was the second objective of the match for the 25-year-old after his winner in opposition to Angola. He’s the one South African presently taking part in in a serious European league.
Maswanhise was a relentless menace and got here near scoring once more halfway by the second half. He bent a shot from the sting of the field on to a submit.
After absorbing stress for a while, Zimbabwe equalised on 73 minutes when Aubrey Modiba conceded an personal objective.
An outstanding lengthy cross from substitute Tawanda Chirewa discovered Maswanhise, whose shot was parried by Williams. The ball rebounded, struck Modiba and rolled into the online.
Appollis then netted from an 82nd-minute penalty to provide Bafana the lead for the third time, which they retained.
