Bafana Bafana will relish a clash with Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations last 16. Kickoff looks at five factors that would give Hugo Broos' charges confidence of victory.
READ | Bafana's massive plus factor against Morocco at AFCON
Beating Egypt at same stage in 2019
No one gave Bafana a chance against the Pharaohs in the 2019 edition in the round of 16. However, Stuart Baxter's charges pulled off an upset against record champions, after a last-gasp winner by Thembinkosi Lorch handed South Africa a 1-0 win.
Bafana, against another North African giant, would have more confidence after qualifying as runners-up in the group, unlike in 2019 when they qualified as one of the best third-placed teams.
Sundowns players' experience against North Africans
South Africa had eight players from Sundowns in the line-up in two consecutive games against Namibia and Tunisia.
The Brazilians players should be familiar with how the Moroccans play, particularly given their rivalry with Wydad Casablanca, although the majority of the Atlas Lions players are playing overseas.
Bafana's experience vs Morocco
South Africa were in the same qualifying group as Morocco and beat them 2-1 in the reverse clash and although the Atlas Lions had already qualified, they fielded largely their strongest team.
Bafana also came close to getting away with a point in Rabat after initially getting an early goal through Lyle Foster.
After equalising early in the second stanza, Morocco needed a winner in the last three minutes to get maximum points.
On a neutral ground, the game could be far more closely contested.
READ | Broos: We deserve to be in the next round
Clean sheets
Only Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, and Morocco have conceded less goals than Bafana, having conceded only one goal each in the group stages and are among the favourites and outsiders for the tournament.
Bafana have conceded only twice, both against the Eagles and back-to-back clean-sheets should give them confidence.
Morocco coach suspended
Morocco coach Walid Regragui is suspended for the last 16 tie against Bafana, as he will be serving the second of his match ban.
Regragui was involved in a heated exchange with Democratic Republic of Congo captain Chancel Mbemba at the end of their group game and has already sat out their last group match against Zambia, where they scraped a 1-0 win.