David Pagou on Cameroon beating Bafana Bafana: It was not an easy victory because to beat South Africa you need a strong mentality as they are good

David Pagou cannot contain his excitement after his Cameroon side knocked South Africa out of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Pagou has joy written all over his face after the Indomitable Lions beat Bafana Bafana 2-1 in the last-16 of the 35th edition of the continental showpiece.

Ahead of the game, the West African national team coach said Bafana were the favourites to earn their place in the quarterfinals.

But at the end of the 90 minutes, it was his side which were victorious as Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane scored in the first half for the Indomitable Lions while Evidence Makgopa netted for South Africa.

He admitted beating South Africa was no easy task.

“There’s someone up there guidance and showing us the way, we had some luck so we’ll keep working but our secret is that the star here is the whole team, we will keep working hard on this and that’s our catchphrase here,” he said in the post-match press conference.

“We’re keeping a positive state of mind that’s been our secret to success here in Morocco. We started training on 16 December, a few days before the tournament, but we’re on the right track, we’ve eliminated South Africa.

“We’ve suffered and now we can jubilate this victory, they have done well, but we have a strong state of mind, a team that wins, is the team who wants it the most, I knew South Africa has a good team, technically strong, collectively good. To beat a team like them you need a steel mentality.”