Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter talked after the 1-0 win over Egypt that propelled the South African national team into the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals.

Give us overall thoughts on the match …

“We are obviously very pleased with the outcome of the game. We had three days to put together a plan for the game and I think the players did really, really well. I think they had to play in a very brave way, to press high against such a good team as is Egypt, but for me that was the only way we could win the game, because if you allow them to build possession and get the ball into their best players, then we would have massive problems.

“So it took courage from the players and I thought they did really, really well and I thought we had reasonable control of the game, for the most part. To get the goal and get Egypt to commit even more was obviously what we were looking cor. I’m very proud of the players and very pleased with the result.”

How did you set up for the game?

“We set up to press high. It was difficult for the front players because, at the same time as we asked them to press, they had to also try to screen the through passes into the midfield players and strikers. It was a difficult job they had but they did it very well, and the support they got and the movement from side to side was very good.

“If they did get past that line, then we had to drop quickly and establish a compact block and I think that we did that very well too. We say sometimes that African players cannot be tactically smart, that northern Africans are usually so much better than the southern Africans, but I think the players, they showed a masterclass. It was excellent.”

How does this result feature in the list of achievements in your career?

“To compare results is very difficult but if you knock out the host nation in front of, what, 80 000 people? it must rank very very high. I must congratulate Egypt on having unbelievable supporters.”

What about the impact of the Cairo crowd?

“It was very important that the Egyptian team did not build momentum and get the full support of the crowd. The crowd, I think, during the game, even though they were very, very vocal, they could feel a little bit nervous because Egypt weren’t just rolling over us. To silence the crowd was one of the intentions we had. Now they can support South Africa! We would love to have some support. The support that the Egyptian national team get is incredible.”

What changes did you make after the group phase to get this result?

“In the first couple of games we weren’t 100 percent satisfied with our attacking play and our movement around the box was not clear and we had to improve on that. Challenging the players and showing them the movements we wanted to make was one.

“Two, we knew that playing in Cairo against Egypt was the crowd. That was another aspect. But the most important thing was to play a game that I don’t think Egypt expected us to play. They would have expected us, I think, to play deeper and therefore, that way, we surprised them with that game plan. I think we did it very well. That helped us to get a foothold in the game.”

After his tale of redemption with Liverpool this season, Mohamed Salah was instead left in disbelief once more as Egypt crashed out of their own Africa Cup of Nations, an exit that triggered an immediate clearout within the country’s football association.

While Salah helped lead his club to a sixth European Cup triumph in June, a year on from an injury forcing him out of the final, he was powerless to stop the Pharaohs suffering humiliation on the international stage for the second time in 12 months.

The forward arrived here full of promise – his mood and fitness in sharp contrast to this time last June when his shoulder was injured as he was wrestled to the ground by Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos in the 3-1 loss in the 2018 Champions League final in Kiev.

He scored twice in four matches in Cairo, both goals struck with unerring precision, but rarely looked at his peak surrounded by an Egyptian supporting cast far more limited than he is accustomed to at club level.

But Salah also, uncharacteristically, made headlines off the pitch after offering a degree of support for disgraced teammate Amr Warda, who was banished from the squad over sexual harassment allegations only to later be recalled – with Salah at the forefront of appeals for his reinstatement.

One of the most popular Twitter hashtags in the wake of Salah and others defending the midfielder was “National team of sexual harassers”.

Salah faced a backlash from many users after saying Warda deserved a “second chance” and that “shunning is not the answer”.

Many of Salah’s fans noted his hypocritical line of argument. He has made a point of speaking up for women in the Muslim world, and in an April interview with Time magazine he vehemently defended their rights in the region.

Shouldering the weight of expectation of nearly 100 million Egyptians, hoping for a fourth title in five editions as hosts, Salah found himself a capable ally in Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan, the team’s standout performer in the group stage.

But he too wilted as the pressure intensified once the tournament moved into the knockout phase, spurning Egypt’s best chance in a bitter defeat that provoked widespread dismay throughout the football-mad nation.

“I’m really sad. Nobody expected we would go out at this stage. We thought for sure our team would reach the final,” said Mohamed Alaa, a 17-year-old fan from Cairo.

Amr Kamel, 23, said he was “disgusted” by the team’s abject failure.

“We expected better than that, that we would win, especially given the competition is being played in our country. We are really disgusted.”

The sense of shame prompted Egyptian FA president Hani Abou Rida to sack coach Javier Aguirre and announce his own resignation out of “moral obligation” just hours after the defeat, paving the way for a vast shake-up within the organisation.

Aguirre came in for criticism for his management of the side during the Cup of Nations, with Egypt legend Wael Gomaa accusing the Mexican of having “no tactics or strategy”.

Following Saturday’s defeat, Aguirre said he alone took the blame for the host nation’s disastrous campaign, with his departure coming after less than a year in the job.

Abou Rida also called on board members to quit after “disappointing Egypt’s supporters” and bringing an end to his three-year reign marked by controversy, including a 2018 World Cup fiasco that saw the Pharaohs fail to get out of the group stage after losing all of their matches.

The location of the team’s training base in Grozny, the capital of Muslim-majority Chechnya, spurred widespread criticism – especially from human rights groups – over concerns of abuses by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, supported by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

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South Africa completed another upset in the round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations when they eliminated hosts Egypt 1-0 at the Cairo International Stadium on Saturday night.

Bafana Bafana claimed the deserved victory thanks to a late strike from winger Thembinkosi Lorch, having put in an outstanding performance against the highly-rated Pharaohs. Stuart Baxter’s side advance to face old foes Nigeria in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Egypt started the match strongly and threatened through the likes of Mohamed Salah and Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan. Yet the best efforts on goal in the opening quarter came from South Africa’s Percy Tau.

The forward twice tested goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy with powerful left-footed shots. The first was well held by the gloves-man, while the second (which was direct from a free kick) called for an outstanding save to keep the score line blank.

Midway through the first half the Pharaohs created their first clear chance, with a counter attack gifting Hassan a sight of goal with only Ronwen Williams to beat, but he directed his low shot straight at the Bafana Bafana ‘keeper.

SA continued to try their hand at shooting on goal, with Thembinkosi Lorch and Kamohelo Mokotjo both firing shots just wide of El Shenawy’s right-hand post, but the first half ended with the teams locked at 0-0.

Egypt had the first clear chance of the second stanza and again it was ‘Trezeguet’ who squandered a great opportunity: Mohamed Salah’s defence-splitting pass picked out the Pharaohs’ number seven, but he hit his shot straight at Williams in the 57th minute.

Bafana Bafana put together a fine passing move on 73 minutes to put Lorch in on goal, but he too was guilty shooing straight at the goalkeeper, allowing El Shenawy to make a comfortable low save.

The match looked set for extra time, but on 85 minutes South Africa struck on a quick counter attack: Lebo Mothiba beautifully played in Lorch, who this time showed great composure to slide a shot beyond the ‘keeper and provide the decisive moment.

Egypt 0

South Africa (0) 1 (Lorch 85’)

Egypt: El Shenawy, Elmohamady, Hegazy, Alaa, Asgraf, Elneny (Soliman 83’), Said (Warda 64’), Hamed, Salah, Mohsen (Ali 46’), Trezeguet

SA: Williams, Mkhize, Hlatshwayo, Mkhwanazi, Hlanti, Furman (Kekana 90+2’), Zungu, Mokotjo, Lorch (Veldwijk 90+3’), Mothiba, Tau

Uganda showed a bold commitment to attacking football as they reached the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stages for the first time in 41 years but ultimately paid for lack of experience at the top level.

Poor finishing combined with two defensive mistakes led to their downfall in their round of 16 tie against Senegal as the Cranes lost 1-0 on Friday despite matching their opponents for long periods in an a physical clash.

Perhaps that was not surprising given the yawning gap between the two sets of players at club level.

Senegal’s starting line-up included three players from the English Premier league, two in Italy’s Serie A, one in Spain’s La Liga, three in Ligue 1 and two in the Turkish top flight.

Uganda’s, on the other hand, comprised two players based in Tanzania, one each in South Africa, Canada, Croatia, India, Uganda, the Swedish third tier, the English fifth tier and two who are unattached.

But they managed to give Senegal a run for their money and, in their previous match outplayed hosts Egypt despite going down to a 2-0 defeat.

“Lack of experience cost us this defeat,” said coach Sebastien Desabre.

“After the goal, we were better and had many chances but unfortunately Senegal were better than us. We were not far from qualification against the best side in this tournament.”

Even so, he said Uganda had made important progress since they were knocked out in the group stage two years ago.

“It was a target of the federation to get to the last 16,” he said. “We have a long way to go to organise football in Uganda and it’s important the national team shows the way.”

One of the biggest compliments came from fellow Frenchman Sebastien Migne, coach of their larger neighbours Kenya, who held Uganda up as an example to be followed after his own side went out in the group stage.

Desabre, coach since December 2017, is himself little known in his native France. He only played football semi-professionally and abandoned his career at 26 to concentrate on coaching.

The road to the Uganda led via clubs in Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco and Egypt and he described taking Uganda to the Afcon as the “high point of my career so far”.

Some of his players, meanwhile, have set their sights even higher.

“We came and made it to the round of 16 which was our main target,” said Allan Kateregga. “Our next focus is the World Cup – we want to go to the World Cup.”

Nigeria have put Africa Cup of Nations champions Cameroon out of the 2019 edition after claiming a 3-2 win in the regional rivals’ last 16 clash at the Alexandria Stadium on Saturday evening.

In a match which will be remembered as an Afcon classic – and certainly the best of this tournament so far – the Super Eagles were inspired by two goals and an assist from striker Odion Ighalo.

Nigeria looked the more proactive and threatening team early on, and they deservedly claimed the lead in the 20th minute through Odion Igahlo. The striker netted via a deflection in the penalty area after Cameroon had failed to deal with a cross from the left by-line.

A thrilling match comes to an end as the #SuperEagles knock the #IndomitableLions out of #AFCON2019 with a dramatic 3-2 victory. pic.twitter.com/IOpRZDdva2— SuperSport ???? (@SuperSportTV) July 6, 2019

In response, Cameroon looked to push higher up the field and try to bring Clinton N’Jie and Christian Bassogog more into the game, but the wide men initially had little joy against Nigeria’s fullbacks Ola Aina and Chidozie Awaziem.

Yet, after a sustained spell of pressure, the Indomitable Lions hit back to level the game in the 41stminute. Bassogog whipped in a cross from the left and Stephane Bahoken, with almost his first contribution of any note, expertly turned the ball home for 1-1.

“Ighalo’s through, Iwobiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii” What a game we are witnessing with the #SuperEagles scoring twice in the space of three minutes to retake the lead against Cameroon. Alex Iwobi’s first AFCON goal makes it 3-2 with 25 minutes left!#AFCON2019 pic.twitter.com/DxeFPMiSJ9— SuperSport ???? (@SuperSportTV) July 6, 2019

Nigeria were then stunned with another goal concession three minutes later. Bahoken flicked on a long ball and N’Jie showed good speed and strength to hold off a challenge before striking a low shot past Daniel Akpeyi to send Cameroon into the interval with a 2-1 lead.

N’Jie almost forced a third goal early in the second half, with his low cross from the right of the penalty area deflecting off Aina and heading toward goal, but Akpeyi did well to quickly change direction and claw the ball away.

Nigeria equalised just past the hour mark, with Ighalo again getting on the score sheet. This time Awaziem provided a fine cross from the right and Ahmed Musa cleverly chested the ball into space for the striker, who turned and fired home a left-footed shot for 2-2.

“It’s Clinton Njiééééééééééééééééé”What a five minutes for the #IndomitableLions who equalized through Stéphane Bahoken and then Clinton Njié’s pace saw him get in behind to fire Cameroon into a 2-1 lead over Nigeria just before half-time!#AFCON2019 pic.twitter.com/BJ7Xc3kpMQ— SuperSport ???? (@SuperSportTV) July 6, 2019

And Ighalo soon went from scorer to creator, playing a lovely pass through the legs of MichaelNgaedu-Ngadjui to find the run of Alex Iwobi, who hit a low shot past goalkeeper Andre Onana to make it 3-2 to the Super Eagles in the 66th minute.

Ighalo had a great chance to complete a hat-trick in the 76th minute when a low cross from substitute Samuel Chukwueze found the striker unmarked in the penalty area, but his shot was palmed away by Onana to keep Cameroon in the contest.

“It’s Odion Ighalooooooooooooo!”The goal poacher finds the ball at his feet and fires home from close range, via deflection, to give the #SuperEagles the lead over Cameroon after 20 minutes.#AFCON2019 pic.twitter.com/sYpaNaQzCg— SuperSport ???? (@SuperSportTV) July 6, 2019

However, there was no way back for the 2017 champions, allowing Nigeria through to a quarterfinal against either hosts Egypt or South Africa in Cairo on Wednesday night.

Nigeria (1) 3 (Ighalo 20’ 63’, Iwobi 66’)

Cameroon (2) 2 (Bahoken 41’, N’Jie 44’)

Nigeria: Akpeyi, Awaziem, Omeruo, Troost-Ekong, Aina, Ndidi, Etebo, Musa, Iwobi (Balogun 90+1’), Simon (Chukwueze 60’), Ighalo (Onuachu 85’)

Cameroon: Onana, Fai, Ngaedu-Ngadjui, Yaya, Oyongo, Bassogog, Malong (Zoua 87’), Mandjeck(Zambo Anguissa 62’), N’Jie (Ekambi 70’), Choupo-Moting, Bahoken.