Cameroon Down South Africa as Morocco Edge Tanzania to Reach Quarter-Finals

Cameroon bent but did not break—and when the moment came, they struck with ruthless efficiency. Outplayed for long stretches but composed in decisive moments, the Indomitable Lions edged South Africa 2–1 in Rabat to book their place in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 quarter-finals.

South Africa began with authority, pressing high and dictating the tempo for the opening half-hour. Cameroon were suffocated, shaken and repeatedly tested, relying on goalkeeper Devis Epassy and Bafana Bafana’s lack of precision to stay level. Then came the turning point. Against the run of play in the 34th minute, Junior Tchamadeu struck with Cameroon’s first real opening, flipping the momentum instantly.

Revitalised, Cameroon emerged sharper after the break. Just two minutes into the second half, Christian Kofane doubled the lead with a composed diving header, delivering a harsh but familiar lesson in knockout football efficiency.

South Africa refused to fold. Evidence Makgopa pulled one back in the 87th minute to ignite a tense finale, and Rabat held its breath as Cameroon retreated deep. Under sustained pressure, the five-time champions held their line and their nerve, seeing out the final minutes to secure qualification.

South Africa 1–2 Cameroon

Dominated but qualified, challenged but lucid, Cameroon once again proved their pedigree on the knockout stage. Their reward is a blockbuster quarter-final against tournament hosts Morocco on Friday at the Stade Moulay Abdellah.

Carlos Baleba (Cameroon) – TotalEnergies Man of the Match: “Morocco are a strong side, but we are on a good run. Our mindset is very positive—we play for each other, and that’s our strength.”

Hugo Broos (South Africa Head Coach): “We didn’t deserve to lose tonight, but that’s football. We now focus on our future objectives, with the World Cup in our sights.”

David Pagou (Cameroon Coach): “We are excited with the result. The assignment was demanding, but the team worked collectively and stayed positive. That mentality is key.”

Morocco Edge Tanzania to Reach Last Eight

Earlier on Sunday, hosts Morocco also secured their quarter-final place with a narrow 1–0 victory over Tanzania, thanks to a second-half strike from Brahim Diaz.

The Atlas Lions dominated possession but found clear chances scarce against a disciplined Tanzanian side. A first-half goal from Ismail Saibari was ruled out by VAR, underlining Morocco’s frustration before the break.

After the restart, Walid Regragui’s side increased the tempo. Diaz finally broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute, cutting in from the right and finishing from a tight angle to claim his fourth goal of the tournament and move clear at the top of the scoring charts.

Tanzania remained competitive to the end but could not find an equaliser as Morocco held firm in front of a capacity crowd in Rabat.

Brahim Diaz (Morocco) – TotalEnergies Man of the Match: “This was our toughest match so far. Not everything worked, but qualification is what matters. Now we prepare for the quarter-finals.”

Miguel Ángel Gamondi (Tanzania Head Coach): “I am very proud of my players. They showed the gap is not as big as people think. We will come back stronger.”

Walid Regragui (Morocco Head Coach): “The first half was not good, but we were much better in the second. Qualification is the most important thing. We will keep fighting.”

AFCON 2025: Knockout Stage Gathers Pace

The Round of 16 has ushered AFCON 2025 into its most decisive phase, where fine margins are separating progress from elimination.

So far, four teams have secured quarter-final spots:

• Senegal – beat Sudan
• Mali – defeated Tunisia on penalties despite playing with ten men
• Morocco – edged Tanzania 1–0
• Cameroon – overcame South Africa 2–1

The standout fixture of the next round pits hosts Morocco against Cameroon in a heavyweight showdown, while Senegal face Mali in an all–West African clash.

Confirmed Quarter-Final Fixtures (Friday, 9 January): Mali vs Senegal and Cameroon vs Morocco.

The remaining quarter-final line-up will be completed after upcoming Round of 16 ties, including Egypt vs Benin, Nigeria vs Mozambique, Algeria vs DR Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire vs Burkina Faso.

The quarter-finals will be played on 9 and 10 January, with the final scheduled for 18 January at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.