Hosts South Africa came perilously close to going out of the African Nations Cup yesterday before a late equaliser earned a 2-2 draw with Morocco and a place in the quarter-finals.

Defender Siyabonga Sangweni levelled four minutes from time as they edged out underdogs Cape Verde Islands for a spot in the last eight.

South Africa would have missed out on the knockout stages if they had lost to Morocco who were eliminated after drawing all three matches.

Cape Verde beat Angola 2-1 in the other Group A match in Port Elizabeth.

South Africa went behind in the 10th minute through Issam El Adoua. May Mahlangu lifted the 50,000 crowd at the Moses Mabhida Stadium when he curled in the equaliser in the 71st minute.

Morocco then went back ahead with eight minutes to go through Abdelilah Hafid. South Africa kept fighting and four minutes later Sangweni found himself clear and he expertly bent the ball into the net.

The hosts now stay in Durban for their quarter-final against the runners-up in Group B who will be determined today.