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Cape Town - Veteran Bafana Bafana midfielder Hlompho Kekana says despite defending for the majority of the game against Morocco, head coach Stuart Baxter urged them to go out and score.
South Africa suffered heartbreaking 1-0 defeat against the Atlas Lions courtesy of a 90th minute Mbark Boussoufa strike.
Bafana failed to register a single shot on target and only had two attempts at goal.
However, Kekana defended the approach set out by Baxter as they were encouraged to push forward and get a goal against a well-organised Moroccan side.
"Well, we wanted to score (that was instructed), as we saw it was open for everyone and we stood a chance of scoring because at times we looked threatening when we ventured near their box," he said, as quoted by the KickOff website.
"It was sad that we didn't get that clear chance.
"It was just unfortunate that we conceded that late free-kick, I think it was soft, more than anything it was just unfortunate that we conceded."
He added: "When you play these kind of games, there's a time where you will dominate possession and there's a time when you need to track back for your opponent.
"It was an open game to be honest, where both teams probably deserved to win the match."
The defeat leaves Baxter's charges with a slim chance of qualifying for the Round of 16 as they wait on the results from Group E and F.
South Africa will need Tunisia and Mali to at least draw or beat Mauritania and Angola, respectively, while hoping Cameroon beat Benin and Ghana edge Guinea-Bissau.
Those games all take place at 18:00 and 21:00 on Tuesday.
