South Africa qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 with a nervy 3-2 win against Zimbabwe in Marrakech.

Tshepang Moremi put South Africa in front in the seventh minute after his shot took a looping deflection off Zimbabwe’s Divine Lunga and over goalkeeper Washington Arubi. But Zimbabwe produced an equaliser out of nowhere in the 19th minute when Tawanda Maswanhise jinked past two defenders and fired home.

Burnley striker Lyle Foster then gave South Africa control again with his second goal of the tournament in the 50th minute, heading past Arubi after the Zimbabwe goalkeeper came off his line following a poor header back from Lunga.

A comical own-goal from Aubrey Modiba in the 73rd minute put Zimbabwe back on level terms again, before South Africa won a penalty for a clear handball by Luton Town midfielder Marvelous Nakamba in the 80th minute. Oswin Appollis converted the resulting spot-kick to give his side the win.

That final result saw South Africa through to the knockouts, as they finished second in Group B, with six points. Hugo Broos’ side would have been eliminated had they lost to Zimbabwe and Angola beaten Egypt in their final group game.

Egypt’s starting XI was entirely changed for that match in Agadir, which ended 0-0. They were guaranteed to finish as group winners regardless of results on Monday and will now face a third-placed team from Group A, C or D in Agadir next Monday. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush of Manchester City did not feature.

South Africa will face the runners up of Group F in Rabat on Sunday. Ivory Coast and Cameroon are both level on points at the top of that group, with Mozambique a point behind.

Angola finished third in the group with two points and face a nervous wait to see if they are one of the four best third-placed teams who advance to the knockouts, requiring results to go in their favour and a goal difference swing if they are to progress.

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South Africa get the job done…just

Analysis by Simon Hughes in Marrakech

South Africa’s almost evenly matched record against Zimbabwe over the past 30 years reminded them progression to the knock out stages of AFCON was not guaranteed.

It will be a cause of concern for South Africa that they were pegged back twice by their regional rivals, but it should also encourage Belgian coach Hugo Broos that the team still found a way to win.

Zimbabwe arguably had the better chances, but South Africa were more clinical. It helps that at the other end of the pitch, South Africa can rely on goalkeeper and captain, Ronwen Williams, who made some key saves following swift Zimbabwe counter-attacks.

The outcome means South Africa are likely to face either Cameroon or Ivory Coast in Rabat on January 4. Against stronger opponents, they will have to manage the game better.

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How did the afternoon unfold?

By Peter Carline

With Group B already wrapped up, table-toppers Egypt named an entirely changed XI. But there was no such luxury for the other three teams: it was pretty much win-and-in.

Angola began the day bottom of the group with a point, knowing that a first win at AFCON against Egypt would likely see them reach the knockouts for the second straight tournament.

After South Africa lost for the first time in 11 matches, a win in Marrakech would secure their progression to the round of 16 as runners-up. They started in second place on three points, two ahead of third-placed Zimbabwe.

South Africa began brightly and were ahead in the seventh minute — as things stood they were on six points and through.

And then Maswanhise intervened. He conjured one of the goals of the tournament in the 19th minute and moved Zimbabwe up to two points. Another goal would see them leapfrog South Africa…

At half-time, both matches were all square. Angola were slightly edging it in Agadir and Zimbabwe were looking brightest in Marrakech.

Just after Angola had penalty appeals waved away, Foster put South Africa ahead again and moved them into second place once more.

Angola’s Fredy hit the post with a free-kick and Maswanhise struck the woodwork for Zimbabwe too, but as both games headed in to the final 20 minutes, it was as you were.

Again, Maswanhise intervened, as his shot bounced off goalkeeper Ronwen Williams’s right leg, back onto Modiba’s head and into his own net to level the scores.

A tantilising finale beckoned — South Africa were down to four points and Zimbabwe and Angola on two. A goal for Angola or Zimbabwe would see them snatch second place.

But after Nakamba’s handball was given following a VAR review South Africa took the lead for the third time through Appollis’ 82nd-minute penalty. In Agadir, Angola had a chance to break the deadlock in the 90th minute, but Benson fired over from a centrally-placed free kick, and the game finished goalless

An afternoon that seemed to promise drama ended with the final standings many would have predicted before these games.