Bafana Bafana fall to Morocco

South Africa opened their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign with a 2-1 loss away to Group K favourites Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Thursday night.

Bafana Bafana rode their luck, scoring first through Lyle Foster on the counter attack and relying on some superb saves from goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, but ultimately they were outclassed by the Atlas Lions, who levelled through Youssef En-Nesyri early in the second half and scored a late winner via Ayoub El Kaabi.

Morocco get their #AFCON2023Q campaign off to a winning start. They come from behind to take all three points against South Africa.

FT: 2-1 pic.twitter.com/N7bSvUt14V

— SuperSport ?? (@SuperSportTV) June 9, 2022

Morocco started strongly and forced South Africa onto the back foot in the opening stages, but the visitors claimed the lead in the eighth minute against the run of play.

Debutant Sphephelo Sithole lofted a pass over the Morocco defence from midfield and allowed Lyle Foster to spring the offside trap – the Westerlo forward held off the attentions of Achraf Hamiki, before striking a low shot which beat goalkeeper Yassine Bounou at his near post.

Morocco’s Youssef En-Nesyri had two great chances, in quick succession, to level the game just after the quarter hour mark, but on both occasions he was denied by excellent saves from Bafana goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams.

The SuperSport United shot-stopper was in action again on 26 minutes, keeping out a low effort from the right of the penalty area by Aymane Barkok, as well as on 35 minutes, turning away an awkward, skidding attempt from Ilias Chair.

In the 37th minute the Atlas Lions really should have levelled the game, with Hakimi’s low cross from the right finding En-Nesyri, but the striker somehow directed an effort wide with the goal gaping just a few metres in front of him.

The hosts spurned another good chance a couple of minutes before the interval when Tarik Tissoudali’s knock down gave Selim Amallah a free volley inside the penalty area, but he blazed a shot high over the target.

Morocco’s final chance of the first half arrived in injury time when Hakimi had a sight of goal after a slip in the away side’s defence, but his shot – which looked destined for the bottom corner – was tipped away for a corner by the excellent Williams.

The North Africans picked up in the second half where they left off in the first, and should have been awarded a penalty in the early minutes when defender Taariq Fielies got away with blocking a goal-bound shot with his arm.

An equaliser seemed inevitable and duly arrived in the 51st minute: Sofyan Amrabat played a diagonal to pick out Romain Saiss, who headed back across the face of goal and En-Nesyri nodded home from close range for 1-1.

Morocco continued to dominate in the wake of their goal, and introduced the likes of Yahya Attiat-Allah, Ayoub El Kaabi, Amine Harit and Azzeddine Ounahi to bring fresh legs in attack.

El Kaabi almost put Morocco ahead on 77 minutes when he got on the end of a diagonal into the penalty area and placed a header on target, but Williams scrambled across to make a fine save and keep the scores level.

However, the ‘keeper was helpless to keep out Morocco’s winner on 88 minutes. Harit clipped in a waist-high cross from the left flank and El Kaabi got ahead of his marker to sweep home a crisp volley and earn a deserved victory for the Atlas Lions.

Morocco will return to Group K action on Monday 13 June when they play ‘away’ to Liberia in Casablanca. .

South Africa’s scheduled clash at home to Zimbabwe on the same day was cancelled due to the disqualification of the Zim team.

Bafana Bafana’s next matches will be home and away against Liberia in September.

Morocco (0) 2 (En-Nesyri 51’, El Kaabi 88’)

South Africa