A repeat of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture, but this time in the Round of 16 as North African giants Morocco takes on Southern side South Africa. With that one ending in favour of Bafana Bafana, I am sure the Atlas Lions will be out for vengeance!
To win (90 min)
Morocco 11/20
Draw 43/20
South Africa 54/10
Morocco
Morocco, ranked as Africa’s number one team, was always expected to perform well in the tournament – with many critics considering them to be the last team standing. However, they face a tough challenge against South Africa, who defeated them 2-1 in their recent encounter, just several months ago.
Morocco can be described as a well-organized and balanced team, boasting big game players like former Chelsea dangerman Hakim Ziyech, PSGs Achraf Hakimi and Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri. The Atlas Lions are in a rich vein of form in front of goal. Indeed, they have found the back of the net at least once in each of their previous twelve games at AFCON – their longest run of scoring in the competition.
Given some of the tournament surprises, Morocco had already qualified for the knockout rounds after the second matchday. Despite this, Walid Regragui’s men came out all guns blazing in their final group game, attempting nineteen shots against Zambia. In that one, the master tactician served the first two match ban, handed down by CAF. That being said, he will not feature on the touch line against South Africa.
South Africa
Coach Hugo Broos has instilled a strong sense of motivation and confidence in the South African camp. Despite Morocco being a formidable opponent, Broos may draw inspiration from South Africa’s previous victory over the North African giants, using it as a reference point to motivate his players.
Players like Evidence Makgopa are highlighted for their key roles in the team’s strategy, with the twenty-three-year-old drawing defensive attention to create space for fellow attackers Percy Tau and Themba Zwane. Bafana Bafana’s adherence to the coach’s game plan, as demonstrated in the group stages, suggests they will present a tough challenge for Morocco in the upcoming encounter.
With Bafana Bafana showing improvement in each game of the tournament and their determination to stick to their strategy, the match against Morocco promises to be a closely contested affair.
Outcome:
This sets the stage for an exciting and competitive match as both teams aim to progress to the quarter-finals of the AFCON. This will be a mouth-watering encounter and I think goals will be produced here as South Africa bring their A game when playing the North Africa teams. Hence, I suggest a over 2.5 bet at 14/10 will be a safe ticket in this fixture.
Written by: Ayanda Vezi