Morocco, Egypt, South Africa Reach Africa Cup Knockouts/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Host Morocco and South Africa joined Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations’ knockout stage, while Mohamed Salah was rested ahead of the next round. Morocco’s 3-0 win over Zambia secured first place in Group A, sparking celebrations in Rabat. With group standings shaping up, multiple teams advanced before final games, including Senegal, Cameroon, and defending champions Ivory Coast.
AFCON Knockout Stage Quick Looks
- Morocco thrashes Zambia 3-0 to top Group A
- South Africa beats Zimbabwe 3-2, finishes second in Group B
- Egypt rests key players, draws 0-0 with Angola
- Mohamed Salah among several Egypt stars rested
- El Kaabi scores bicycle kick; VAR confirms stunning goal
- Fans celebrate in Rabat after Morocco’s dominant win
- Four best third-place teams also qualify for knockouts
- Senegal, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Mozambique advance early
Deep Look
Morocco and South Africa Join Egypt in Africa Cup Knockout Stage as Salah Sits Out
RABAT, Morocco — Host nation Morocco and South Africa have clinched their spots in the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations, joining Egypt, which rested star forward Mohamed Salah after already securing qualification.
Morocco delivered a commanding 3-0 win over Zambia in Rabat, a victory that secured the top spot in Group A. The result ensures the North African powerhouse will play all of its knockout-stage matches at home in the 70,000-seat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will also host the final on January 18.
South Africa, meanwhile, edged Zimbabwe 3-2 in a thriller in Marrakech to finish second in Group B behind Egypt, which drew 0-0 with Angola in Agadir. With both final group games played simultaneously, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan opted to rest Salah along with other regular starters including Omar Marmoush and Trézéguet.
“We repeated the same mistakes as in previous games — poor passing and bad positioning,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said, despite the win. Broos has been vocal about what he called the lack of an “AFCON vibe” at the tournament.
El Kaabi Ignites Rabat with Stunning Bicycle Kick
Ayoub El Kaabi gave Moroccan fans one more reason to celebrate with a spectacular bicycle-kick goal in the 50th minute — his second of the tournament. The goal was initially ruled offside but overturned after a VAR review confirmed El Kaabi was onside, triggering cheers throughout the stadium and in the streets of Rabat.
“This is where the real tournament begins,” said El Kaabi, looking ahead to the knockout stage. “There’s no room for mistakes now.”
Motorists honked horns, waved flags from rooftops, and supporters filled the streets with cheers and vuvuzelas — a complete turnaround from the boos that followed Morocco’s previous match. Team captain Achraf Hakimi, returning from an ankle injury, came on as a second-half substitute to a roaring reception. He is expected to start in the round of 16.
Morocco will face one of the third-place finishers from Groups C, D, or E in their next match on Sunday.
Who Else is Through?
Results across Groups A and B, where third-place teams Comoros and Angola each collected two points, allowed several other teams to qualify early for the Round of 16 due to favorable standings.
The top two teams from each of the six groups move on, along with the four best third-place finishers. Head-to-head results determine standings in case of tied points.
As of Monday, the following teams had secured knockout-stage spots:
- Group A: Morocco (1st), Mali (2nd), Comoros (possible third-place qualifier)
- Group B: Egypt (1st), South Africa (2nd), Angola (third with two points)
- Group D: Senegal, Congo, and Benin (all through with head-to-head wins)
- Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Sudan
- Group F: Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Mozambique (advance due to wins over Gabon)
Mali Barely Advances
Mali managed to progress despite a lackluster 0-0 draw with Comoros. The result earned them second place in Group A with three straight draws. However, the team’s performance left fans and staff frustrated.
“If we keep playing like this, we won’t stay long in the tournament,” said Mali coach Tom Sainfiet after midfielder Amadou Haidara was sent off late in the match.
Mali will now face the second-place team from Group D, likely Congo, in Casablanca on Saturday.
South Africa’s Narrow Escape
South Africa needed a win over Zimbabwe to avoid relying on other teams’ results and got it — but just barely. Oswin Appollis scored a crucial goal as Bafana Bafana survived two comebacks from Zimbabwe before securing the 3-2 victory.
With the result, South Africa locked up second place in Group B and awaits its next opponent from Group F — likely to be one of Ivory Coast, Cameroon, or Mozambique — in a Sunday showdown.
Egypt Eyes Round of 16 Return for Stars
Salah and other regulars are expected to return for Egypt’s first knockout match on January 5 in Agadir. The Pharaohs will face one of the third-place teams from Groups A, C, or D.
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