Bafana Bafana settled for third spot in Group D after falling to a 1-0 defeat to Morocco on Monday evening.
Bafana coach Stuart Baxter opted for three changes with Ronwen Williams, Kamohelo Mokotjo and Thulani Serero coming in to the line-up. The South Africans, who have never tasted defeat to the Moroccans, pushed for a few openings but struggled to penetrate the North Africans early on.
Sloppy play in the way of possession turnovers materialised with 25 minutes gone, as the struggle in front of goal raged on for both nations.
Bafana's first shot in anger materialised after 34 minutes when Percy Tau fired across the upright after creating space on the edge of the area.
The Moroccans responded with a first-time shot from Younes Belhanda metres from the area a minute later as Bafana failed to clear their lines, although those were the only notable efforts in a cagey opening stanza.
Morocco coach Herve Renard made hia first change of the evening shortly after the 53rd minute, as Youssef Bennaser came on for Karim El Ahmadi.
Bafana's uphill sojourn continued three minutes later after Youssef En-Nesyri headed wide from an in-swinging cross. The woodwork then denied the Atlas Lions 62 minutes in following Achraf Hakimi's curling shot from the edge of the area.
En-Nesyri was the next culprit, who from a one-on-one situation after 68 minutes flashed against the advertising boards after rounding Williams, which led to Bafana's first change in the last 20 minutes, as Lars Veldwijk replaced Lebogang Mothiba upfront.
Pressure finally toiled for Bafana a minute from time after Mubarak Boussoufa volleyed into the top corner from a loose ball inside the area as Morocco maintained their perfect record.
Bafana, meanwhile, will have to wait for the other group matches to conclude to see if they will finish as one of the best third-place sides.