\n
RABAT, Morocco (AP) – South Africa coach Hugo Bruce is not enjoying the usual African Cup of Nations atmosphere in Morocco.<\/p>\n
Bruce, who led Cameroon to victory in Gabon in 2017 and South Africa to third place in Ivory Coast in 2023, said on Sunday there was a lack of enthusiasm for the 35th Africa Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I was a part of the tournament every second of the tournament, whether it was Ivory Coast or Gabon,\u201d Bruce said. “When I took the bus to the train, people were waving and holding flags, but here I don’t see anything. So, I don’t know, but yeah, there’s no atmosphere, you don’t have the typical AFCON atmosphere. You don’t feel that here.”<\/p>\n
The Belgian coach spoke in Marrakech on Monday ahead of South Africa’s final group game against Zimbabwe. Bafana Bafana opened with a heated match. 2-1 victory over Angola<\/span> in marrakech and Lost to Egypt 0-1<\/span> In Agadir.<\/p>\nEgypt has earned the maximum six points from two games and has already advanced to the last 16 from Group B. South Africa followed with three points, followed by Angola and Zimbabwe with one point each. <\/p>\n
Angola will play Egypt on Monday, with the top two from each group and the top three finishers advancing.<\/p>\n
The weather isn’t helping either, with organizers struggling to fill stadiums. Heavy rain fell every day during the tournament, except for Thursday, when there were no matches due to the Christian holiday of Christmas Day. Morocco is a Muslim-majority country.<\/p>\n
The tournament was originally scheduled for the summer, but was postponed to the winter to avoid conflict with FIFA’s new Club World Cup in the United States.<\/p>\n
Even at the sold-out match in Morocco, Vacant seats accused of touts stealing tickets<\/span>frustrating efforts by fans to access the nearly 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where the home team plays all group games.<\/p>\nOther stadiums allow fans to enter for free with security after kickoff to increase attendance. As a result, supporters without tickets were forced to wait outside in the hope that they would be allowed entry.<\/p>\n
“Nobody came to watch the South Africa-Angola game,” Bruce said after criticizing the arrangements for his team’s subsequent game against Egypt. “There was chaos before the game… They banned everyone, even those with tickets. They couldn’t get into the stadium because there were people without tickets who were allowed in.”<\/p>\n
Bours praised the “fantastic stadiums”, all nine of which were new or renovated for the tournament, but said the atmosphere at the 2025 Africa Cup was as “cool” as ever.<\/p>\n
“If you don’t let people be free in the stadium, there won’t be anyone,” he said. “No one is coming to watch the match between South Africa and Zimbabwe.”<\/p>\n
Morocco is also Co-host of the 2030 World Cup<\/span>.<\/p>\n___<\/p>\n
Associated Press on Africa Cup: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/africa-cup-of-nations<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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