South Africa began their U-17 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Morocco on Sunday night.
The Amajimbos line-up had Mamelodi Sundowns attacking sensation Siyabonga Mabena, who scored nine goals in the U-17 COSAFA Cup and was Player of the Tournament, skippered by Benjamin Wallace of SuperSport United alongside Waylon Renecke of Norwich City in the heart of defence.
Mabena was lively for South Africa in the opening exchanges and almost caught Morocco still cold on ten minutes with a volley that sailed over the crossbar.
The North African side started to settle in the game after 15 minutes, as Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal attempted an audacious over-head kick in the box that sailed over the top.
Morocco had the momentum after that and on the half-hour mark Abdel Maâli brought goalkeeper Kyle Jansen into action, who kept out his shot from a tight angle in the top corner.
However, Duncan Crowie's charges had their moments going forward as the game opened up in the latter phase of the first stanza but did not have the cutting-edge in the final third, as the first stanza did not produce goals.
South Africa were subdued early in the second stanza as they were sucked in by pressure from Morocco.
Crowie eventually made an attacking and tactical change around the hour-mark as striker Luke Baartman replaced his Cape Town Spurs teammate, midfielder Dhakier Lee.
However, Amajimbos still struggled to get out of their own half and conceded a penalty with 20 minutes to go after a cross hit the arm of Wallace in the box.
Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal made sure from the spot-kick for Morocco as he broke the deadlock with a low rocket that sent Jansen the wrong way.
Morocco kept South Africa under pressure and profited from a mistake at the back eight minutes before time after Jansen collided with Tyler Cicero and spilled a cross on the path of Adam Hanin, who gave the North Africans a two-goal cushion with a side-footed shot in the box.
Amajimbos only started knocking the ball around with confidence going forward in the dying minutes but they were unable to create clear-cut chances, as they opened their Group B campaign with a loss.
Morocco went to the top of the section on goal difference after Nigeria edged Zambia 1-0 in their opener.
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