Goals on both sides of halftime from Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane sent Cameroon storming into the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, knocking South Africa out in a nail-biting 2-1 victory on Sunday.
The Indomitable Lions drew first blood at Rabat’s Al Medina Stadium in the 34th minute, thanks to Tchamadeu. Shortly after the break, it was teenage Bayer Leverkusen striker Kofane who added a vital second with a powerful header—leaving South Africa reeling.
South Africa didn’t go down easy. Evidence Makgopa gave the Bafana Bafana a lifeline with a late goal, sparking hope of a comeback. But Cameroon held their nerve, sealing their spot in the last eight and earning a heavyweight clash against tournament hosts Morocco on Friday.
With Morocco desperate to claim their first AFCON title in 50 years in front of their own fans, Cameroon can approach the quarter-final with less pressure and plenty of confidence.
This run marks a triumph for Cameroon after chaos behind the scenes. Legendary ex-striker and football federation president Samuel Eto’o shocked everyone by firing coach Marc Brys just before the tournament, bringing in David Pagou. The shakeup didn’t faze the team, whose victory handed new coach Pagou a crucial win over South Africa’s Hugo Broos—the man who led Cameroon to their last continental title nine years ago.
It’s heartbreak for South Africa. After finishing third in the last AFCON in Ivory Coast, they now have to shift focus towards the upcoming World Cup. Still, they had chances to seize control early. Within seven minutes, Relebohile Mofokeng found himself clear on goal after a slip from Cameroon’s Che Malone—but blasted his shot over the bar. Moments later, Lyle Foster’s effort hit the net but was ruled offside.
Cameroon took their chance after the South African defense failed to fully clear a corner. The ball landed with Carlos Baleba, who unleashed a shot that was deflected into Tchamadeu’s path, letting the Stoke City full-back slot it home from close range. After a long VAR review, the goal stood and sent the Cameroonian crowd—14,127 strong—into celebration, with Eto’o watching from the stands.
Whatever plans South Africa made for an energized second half were quickly dashed. Cameroonian substitute Mahamadou
