The Moroccan team, semi-finalist in the 2022 World Cup and big favorite to win the competition taking place in Côte d'Ivoire, ended up being defeated by South Africa, 2-0, and joined the champion Senegal and the runner-up Egypt, from Rui Vitória, on the list of eliminated in the round of 16.
In the first game of the day, Mali beat Burkina Faso, 2-1, and also progressed to the next round, something that had not happened since 2013.
In San-Pédro, after a goalless first half, South Africa surprisingly took the lead, in the 57th minute, through Makgopa, but even worse would happen later to Morocco.
Hakimi, the team's great star, missed a penalty, when he hit the bar, in the 85th minute, and Amrabat saw a straight red, in the 90+4, for interrupting a clear scoring opportunity.
In the very next play, at 90+5 minutes, Mokoena sealed the surprise and qualification, with a direct free kick that gave goalkeeper Bono no chance.
South Africa will now face Cape Verde in the quarter-finals, in a duel scheduled for February 3, the same date that Mali and Ivory Coast also face each other.
In Korhogo, the Malian team reached qualification with goals from Edmond Tapsoba, a former Vitória de Guimarães player, in his own goal, and Lassine Sinayoko, in the third and 47th minutes, respectively, while Burkina Faso also reduced from a penalty, in the 57th minute, by Bertrand Traoré.
The CAN2023 quarter-finals start on February 2nd with the duel between Nigeria, led by José Peseiro, and Angola, led by Pedro Gonçalves, two Portuguese coaches, and DR Congo-Guinea.
