VAR finally on Bafana Bafana's side as dramatic AFCON win over Zimbabwe seals last-16 spot

ZIMBABWE 2 (1) Maswanhise 17’, Modiba (OG) 73’

BAFANA BAFANA 3 (1) Moremi 7’, Foster 50’, Appollis (p) 82’

Finally, with the help of VAR, Lady Luck smiled on Bafana Bafana as they beat Zimbabwe 3-2 at Stade de Marrakech on Monday night in their final AFCON group-stage match to qualify for the last 16.

Oswin Appollis scored the winner from the penalty spot in the dying minutes after Bafana’s leads — established through Tshepang Moremi and Lyle Foster — were cancelled out by Tawanda Maswanhise and an own goal from Aubrey Modiba. Referee Mustapha Kechchaf awarded the spot-kick after consulting the VAR team and pitchside monitor, following the ball striking the hand of a Zimbabwean defender during an attempted clearance.

The VAR decision will please Bafana and their supporters after they felt robbed by two calls that went against them during their 1-0 loss to Egypt in Agadir, having previously beaten Angola 2-1 in the opener. Having finished second in Group B with six points — three behind log leaders Egypt — Bafana will now face either defending champions Ivory Coast or Cameroon in the knockout stage.

Be that as it may, they will be the first to admit they have not been at their best in the group stage. They will need to pull up their socks in the next round if they are to build on their third-place finish at the last edition and live up to their "dark horse" tag.

It is often said that “form counts for nothing” when it comes to derbies, and true to that adage, the Warriors — regarded as underdogs — gave Bafana as good as they got in Marrakech, with the two teams going into the break locked at 1-1.

Bafana flexed their muscles in the opening stages, with Hugo Broos’s side making just one change from the team that lost to Egypt, as Sipho Mbule started ahead of Thalente Mbatha.

They were rewarded in the seventh minute when Tshepang Moremi’s curling effort took a massive deflection off Divine Lunga, beating a helpless Washington Arubi in goal. After finding their footing, the Warriors began to create their own luck.

Tawanda Maswanhise twisted and turned Sphephelo Sithole, bypassed Teboho Mokoena, sat down Mbekezeli Mbokazi, and fired a hard, low shot past a diving Ronwen Williams.

Time appeared to stand still for Bafana, with supporters perhaps sensing déjà vu as Zimbabwe threatened to jeopardise their qualification hopes. Bafana eventually responded, sending waves of attacks into the Warriors’ final third.

Mbule came close to restoring the lead after unleashing a thunderbolt that Arubi, backtracking desperately, palmed back into play before his defence regrouped.

With his midfield struggling, Broos introduced Bathusi Aubaas for Sithole at half-time. The substitution allowed Mokoena to push higher up the pitch and add numbers in attack — a move that paid off.

Oswin Appollis floated a hopeful ball into the box, and a pressured Lunga attempted a headed back-pass. It turned into a "hospital ball" as Arubi failed to come off his line, allowing Foster to reach it first and head into an empty net.

A late lapse in concentration saw Bafana concede when Maswanhise’s shot was saved by Williams, only for the rebound to deflect off Modiba’s chest into the net.

However, Bafana did not drop their heads, and VAR eventually came to their rescue, awarding the decisive penalty.