football news: Cameroon secure AFCON quarter final spot

Cameroon had to dig deep to beat South Africa 2-1 and set up a tantalising quarter final tie against Cup of Nations hosts Morocco.

After withstanding early pressure, the Indomitable Lions went ahead in fortuitous circumstances through Junior Tchamadeu’s strike in the 34th minute.

Christian Kofane’s picture-perfect header doubled their lead after the break, but Evidence Magkopa’s strike from close range set up a nervy finish for the Central Africans.

Cameroon held firm to ensure they progressed to the last eight, where they will meet Morocco after the Atlas Lions navigated a comfortable 1-0 win against Tanzania earlier in the day.

South Africa’s only previous encounter with Cameroon at AFCON was in their inaugural appearance in 1996, where Bafana Bafana beat the side 3-0 en route to winning the competition.

30 years on, they looked to repeat history as they came flying out of the blocks.Lyle Foster was the first to pass up a promising opportunity when he got on the end of a dangerous cross but couldn’t guide his header on target.

The striker then knocked the ball on for Relebohile Mofokeng running in behind, but the 21-year-old’s effort flew over the bar.

Then, against the run of play, Cameroon stole the lead. Carlos Baleba got on the end of a poorly cleared corner and fired a shot which kindly deflected into the path of Tchamadeu, who confidently stroked the ball past Ronwen Williams.

The Indomitable Lions repeated the trick to make it two, after another corner ended up with Aboubakar Nagida. The left-back whipped in a cross to pick out Kofane, who rose highest to plant a ferocious header into the far corner.

Devis Epassy was then called upon to retain Cameroon’s advantage, first reacting brilliantly to keep Samukele Kabini’s close-range header out before repelling Teboho Mokoena’s well-struck free kick.

Kofane then could’ve put the game to bed when he ran onto Bryan Mbeumo’s perfectly weighted ball, but the young striker could not apply the finish.

It opened the door for a nervy finish when substitute Evidence Magkopa turned in a cross from four yards out in the 87th minute to halve the deficit, but the five-time AFCON champions held on.

They will now face Morocco in the next round, after Brahim Diaz’s goal sent the host nation into the last eight. They dominated Tanzania, who were making their first appearance in the knockout stages of the competition, but it took a while to break them down.

The Atlas Lions thought they had taken an early lead when Ismael Saibari headed a free kick past Hussein Masalanga, but it was eventually ruled out for offside.

Ayoub El Kaabi then passed up two presentable opportunities to put the hosts ahead before Masalanga was called upon again to deny Adbe Ezzalzouli from opening the scoring with a header from close range.

As El Kaabi and Chemsdine Talbi squandered two more chances, nervousness in the crowd in Rabat started to grow.

It peaked when Yassine Bono could only parry a speculative long shot, which was flicked into the path of Feisal Salum, whose shot on the stretch sailed over the bar.Achraf Hakimi then thundered a free-kick off the crossbar before Diaz finally broke the deadlock.

The diminutive winger turned his defender inside the box and fired a shot from a tight angle which caught the keeper off guard as it slipped past Masalanga at the near post.

The goal seemed to deflate the Taifa Stars, who had held on for so long, allowing Morocco to comfortably see out the game and continue their dream to win the trophy on home soil.