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Cameroon secured their place in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-finals on Sunday after edging South Africa 2-1 in a tense last-16 encounter in Rabat.
Goals from Junior Tchamadeu late in the first half and Christian Kofane shortly after the restart proved decisive at the Al Medina Stadium, despite a late surge from Bafana Bafana.
Tchamadeu gave the Indomitable Lions the lead in the 34th minute, reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the area after a partially cleared corner and steering a close-range finish beyond the South African goalkeeper. The goal was upheld following a lengthy VAR review.
Cameroon doubled their advantage just two minutes into the second half when teenage Bayer Leverkusen forward Kofane rose to meet a cross from Mahamadou Nagida, nodding in his second goal of the tournament.
South Africa pushed hard in the closing stages and finally found a breakthrough in the 88th minute, as Evidence Makgopa turned in a low delivery from Aubrey Modiba to set up a nervy finish. However, Cameroon held firm to secure victory.
The win sends the five-time champions into a quarter-final against hosts Morocco on Friday, with the pressure firmly on the tournament favourites seeking a first AFCON title in five decades.
Cameroon coach David Pagou said the immediate focus was on enjoying the moment rather than looking ahead. He noted that his players had been put through a tough test and deserved time to recover after a demanding contest.
Reaching the last eight already marks a significant achievement for Cameroon, whose tournament preparations were overshadowed by upheaval following the dismissal of former coach Marc Brys and the appointment of Pagou by federation president Samuel Eto’o.
For South Africa, the exit brings disappointment after finishing third at the previous AFCON, though attention will now turn to preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
Coach Hugo Broos lamented missed opportunities, pointing out that his side created several clear chances early in the match but failed to capitalise. He said conceding twice made the task far more difficult, despite the late rally.
South Africa had threatened early, with Relebohile Mofokeng firing over from a promising position and Lyle Foster seeing a goal ruled out for offside. Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy also produced key saves in the second half to preserve his side’s advantage.
In the end, Cameroon’s efficiency proved the difference as they advanced to the quarter-finals, keeping their AFCON title hopes alive.
