South Africa defeated 10-man Morocco in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, setting up a quarter-final against Cape Verde. Achraf Hakimi missed a late chance to equalise from the penalty spot, but evidence Makgopa scored the opener in the 57th minute, surviving a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check for offside. The 1996 champions will aim to improve upon their quarter-final exit on their most recent appearance at the finals in 2019 when they take on the unbeaten Blue Sharks for a place in the last four.
Morocco is Africa's top-ranked side but will have to wait until they host the 2025 edition of Afcon to end their long wait for a second continental title, which stretches back to 1976. Injuries meant Morocco were shorn of forwards Hakim Ziyech and Sofiane Boufal, and their watching absentees must have wondered how the North Africans conspired to miss so many opportunities against a team ranked 53 places below them.
South Africa centre-back Mvala intervened twice during the early stages to stop fierce shots from Hakimi and Adli. The Atlas Lions threatened for the first time when Bono descended quickly to turn Mokoena's awkward strike from distance behind. Azzedine Ounahi won possession just inside South Africa's territory, surged into the penalty area, and lofted the ball over the crossbar following a swift one-two with Youssef En-Nesyri.
Makgopa punished that profligacy by controlling Themba Zwane's first-time pass to tee himself up inside the penalty area and slot beyond Bono from a tight angle for his first international goal in over two years.
Morocco manager Walid Regragui sent on Ismael Saibari and Amine Harit for Amallah and Adli, but his players struggled to unduly trouble compact opponents in a determined defensive mood. El Kaabi's shot hit Mvala on the arm, and the spot-kick was awarded following a pitchside monitor check by Ismail. Amrabat was ruled to have been the last defender when he brought down Mokoena inside the box, receiving a straight red card instead of an initial second yellow following a VAR review.
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