South Africa OUT! Hugo Broos and Bafana Bafana's 2025 AFCON journey comes to an end as Bryan Mbeumo-inspired Cameroon reach quarter-finals

Cameroon advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after beating South Africa 2-1 at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat on Sunday.

Outfoxed and outplayed, Broos' changed game plan did not give him the result he wanted, as Cameroon proved too strong to beat in the Round of 16.

Meanwhile, South Africa came close to breaking the deadlock in the third minute, but Lyle Foster went out slightly. The Burnley forward rose high to meet a cross delivered into the penalty box, and even though he managed to superbly connect with the ball, his final shot did not produce the desired result.

As Mzansi pressed and Cameroon looked a little unsettled in the opening minutes, Relebohile Mofokeng had another chance that could have broken the deadlock. The Orlando Pirates star received a pass just outside the box in the seventh minute, but he ended up sending his effort out as Cameroon won a goal kick.

A third chance for Bafana did not take long to come; Samukelo Kabini found himself in a good position to score, but just like Foster and Mofokeng before him, he wasted the opportunity in the ninth minute. 

South Africa thought that they had the opener in the 14th minute, but Foster's goal was ruled out for offside.

The tide of the game turned in favour of the indomitable Lions from the 15th minute as South Africa were pressed.

Cameroon head coach David Pagou was forced to make a change when his side was enjoying superior ball possession; after he was attended by the medics, Darlin Yongwa could not proceed, and he was replaced by Mahamadou Nagida in the 21st minute.

When the game resumed, the Indomitable Lions picked up from where they had left off and pressed South Africa even more. They won a free kick in the 33rd minute, which was delivered by Bryan Mbeumo; the ball was cleared, but Danny Namaso was lurking around, and he unsuccessfully attempted to slot home from the rebound.  

A minute after they wasted their chance, Cameroon struck when an unmarked Junior Tchamadeu slotted past an exposed Ronwen Williams.

The Cameroonians burst into a temporary celebration as the goal was subjected to a VAR analysis for a likely offside in the build-up play.

The Central Africans resumed the celebration when Kenyan referee Peter Waweru signalled that the goal would stand.

A hungrier Cameroon returned for the second half, and it did not take them long to double their lead. The first instance where they showed they meant business, the Indomitable Lions attacked from the right back, but a quick reaction from Mbekezeli Mbokazi saved South Africa from conceding in the 46th minute.

The 2017 AFCON champions doubled the lead in the 47th minute when Christian Kofane, after connecting with Mahamadou Nagida, headed past Williams.

Cameroon's goalkeeper Devis Epassy pulled off a remarkable save at the hour mark to deny Kabini as South Africa enjoyed moments of possession.

After Epassy's save helped Cameroon not to concede, it was Williams' turn to help his team not to concede more. After Cameroon cleared a corner in the 70th minute, Mbeumo launched a counterattack and placed a cross for Arthur Avom, but the Lorient star could not beat the Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper, who quickly closed in on him and cleared the danger.

South Africa denied their opponents a clean sheet when Evidence Makgopa scored in the 88th minute with an assist from second-half substitute Aubrey Modiba.

A late resurgence by the 1996 champions could not deny the Cameroonians a chance to advance.

Mbeumo demonstrated class on the pitch; South Africans found it extremely hard to contain the Manchester United forward.

His speed and creativity are what gave his side an upper hand in the Rabat battle. 

Broos and his players failed to achieve their ambition in Morocco. After finishing as the third-placed side in Ivory Coast, the target was to go a step further. However, the World Cup-bound South Africa have been eliminated.  

Their dream of a second AFCON glory will wait a little longer after going down to Cameroon.